Another Chance
by harada sis
Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...What happens now? Havic and mayhem, that's what.
1. Prologue

Another Chance  
  
By: Snow Horse  
  
I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. *sighs* But I do own this computer!!!!!!! *grabs computer* MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?  
  
Key: "talking"  
  
'thinking'  
  
~****scene change****~  
  
(a/n: author's note)  
  
Prologue!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
A 10 year old girl with short auburn hair and emerald eyes laid on her bed with her hair spread out in all directions, wearing a red tank top and jean shorts. It was Friday night and she had nothing to do.  
  
"There's nothing going on today, Kero," the girl complained to her Guardian, a little yellow bear-like creature with big ears and wings who was playing video games.  
  
"You can always play with me, Sakura!" Kero replied.  
  
"Thanks," Sakura answered, "but I think I'll pass."  
  
Just then, a shock hit Sakura. It also hit Kero.  
  
"A Clow Card!" they both yelled and stopped doing what they were doing.  
  
DING-DONG!!!!!!  
  
Downstairs, a amethyst eyed girl with long dark hair, wearing a beautiful green jumper and a bow in her hair was knocking on the door.  
  
"I'll get it!" Sakura screamed as she ran down the stairs and opened the door.  
  
"Tomoyo!" Sakura yelled happily.  
  
"Li just called and told me about The Clow Card," Tomoyo said, smiling. "Luckily, I already had this outfit made!" Tomoyo's eyes shine as she takes out a box from nowhere.  
  
"Let's go in my room," Sakura said, not as happily as Tomoyo. The girls ran up the stairs and into Sakura's pink wall papered room.  
  
Tomoyo took the outfit out of its box. It was a short pink jumper that flared at the bottom with a white T-shirt underneath. It also had a cute little pink beret hat and, to finish, pink shoes and white tights.  
  
"Go try it on!" Tomoyo practically screamed and pushed Sakura into the bathroom and closed the door.  
  
A few seconds later, a boy with messy chestnut hair and amber eyes came up to Sakura's window.  
  
"How do you always get here so fast?" the boy asked.  
  
"I just can't wait to get Sakura into one of my outfits!" Tomoyo said, shiny eyed. "Besides, you take too long, Li!" Tomoyo lost the stars and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Well, I do have to get changed too, Daidouji!" Syaoran countered. He was wearing his Clan's colors, green and yellow. (a/n: Is it green and yellow?) He had loose pants to move around easier and a green overthingy (a/n: You guys know what I mean!) and a green hat. (a/n: Which I absolutely love! It's so cute!)  
  
Just then, Sakura came out in the outfit Tomoyo gave her with her Clow Key around her neck.  
  
"I've always wondered, but what do you do with all of Tomoyo's outfits that she gives you?" Kero asked curiously.  
  
"I keep them," Sakura said slowly.  
  
"Let's just go already," Syaoran said. "The Clow Card is waiting for us."  
  
"Right," Sakura replied. She said the incantation to The Key of Clow (a/n: I can't remember it!) and took a card out from her pocket. "FLY!" She threw the card into the air and slammed her wand against it and her wand suddenly grew wings.  
  
"Let's go!" Sakura said as she sat on her wand and helped Tomoyo up. "Coming Syaoran?" Sakura asked when Syaoran hesitated.  
  
"Yep," Syaoran replied, blushing at the sound of his name from her, "let's go." He sat behind Tomoyo and they all went in search of The Clow Card.  
  
Tomoyo, of course, had her camera and was filming the flight to Penguin Park where they sensed The Clow Card.  
  
Flying over the park, a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and practically hit Sakura and the others.  
  
"I already caught The Storm Card!" Sakura yelled at Kero. "What card is this?"  
  
Another bolt of lightning hit beside them and Sakura felt it safer if they went down to the ground.  
  
"It's The Thunder Card!" Syaoran yelled, realizing it then.  
  
"The Thunder?" Sakura questioned.  
  
"It's very powerful Sakura," Kero stated. "Be careful."  
  
"Don't worry Kero," Sakura said confidently. "I know what to do."  
  
Sakura grabbed the cards from her pocket and looked at them until she found the one she wanted.  
  
"JUMP!" Sakura yelled and her shoes got little wings on them. She dodged the bolts with The Jump Card and was looking for its center. Syaoran was doing the same but without the card, so they could make it harder for the card since they were separated.  
  
"There!" Syaoran yelled, stopping for just a second.  
  
But that second cost him and a bolt of lightning hit him right there.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura yelled and jumped off of where she was and tried dodging bolts of lightning to get to Syaoran before another bolt hit him. She finally got there and felt his pulse. He wasn't breathing!  
  
Sakura knew she had to find the center fast so she looked to where Syaoran said to before. She saw a tiger-like shape. 'That must be its true form!' Sakura thought.  
  
"Sakura, watch out!" Tomoyo yelled from where her and Kero were. Sakura looked up and saw a bolt of lightning coming straight towards her.  
  
The bolt hit her at full force and she blacked out after that.  
  
The Thunder Card left, seeing his job was done.  
  
Tomoyo ran over to Sakura and Syaoran and immediately took out her cell phone and called an ambulance.  
  
The ambulance kept asking Tomoyo how Sakura and Syaoran ended up like this but she only said one thing, she didn't know.  
  
Kero was in Tomoyo's pocket the whole time. At the hospital, Tomoyo sat and waited for the doctor to tell her if Sakura and Syaoran would be all right.  
  
Soon after, Fujitaka, Sakura's dad, and Touya, Sakura's brother, came to the hospital along with Meiling, Syaoran's cousin.  
  
"Tomoyo," Meiling whispered, "was this the work of a Clow Card?"  
  
Tomoyo only nodded in reply, too sad to speak.  
  
"You should have called me," Meiling said sadly. "I know I might have not been any help but still-" Meiling stopped when a doctor came out from the other room.  
  
"Will Sakura be all right?" Fujitaka asked the doctor, standing upright and fear in his eyes.  
  
The doctor shook his head and all four of the waiting friends and family felt tears come to their eyes. "They both left us barely a minute ago," the doctor said and he left, letting the four cope with the deaths.  
  
Tomoyo was the first to burst into tears, then Meiling did too. Fujitaka merely wept to himself and the same with Touya. They had lost more than just two kids, they had lost the Cardcaptors.  
  
~****Tomoyo's House A Day After The Thunder Card****~  
  
Tomoyo Daidouji, an amethyst eyed girl with long dark hair, laid on her bed in her pajamas, still not wanting to take them off although it was noon already.  
  
She just couldn't believe what had happened the day before.  
  
"I blame myself for letting her go fight The Thunder Card," Tomoyo whispered to herself. "It was just so powerful." Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the events of the night before.  
  
~****Flashback****~  
  
"Li just got hit by a bolt of lightning!" Tomoyo practically yelled to Kero.  
  
"Maybe it will knock some sense into the little gaki," Kero said, a bit muffled.  
  
Tomoyo was still filming the whole event. She watched Sakura jump over to Li and then she noticed a bolt of lightning coming straight towards her.  
  
"Sakura, watch out!" Tomoyo screamed at the top of her lungs, but Sakura was hit by it and blacked out.  
  
~****End of Flashback****~  
  
"Sakura," Tomoyo whispered to herself, a tear coming down her cheek.  
  
BRRRIIINNNGGG!  
  
Tomoyo picked up her cell phone and turned it on. "Meiling," she said softly.  
  
"How'd you know it was me?" Meiling replied on the other line.  
  
"Who else could it be?" Tomoyo asked softly.  
  
There was a moment of silence until Meiling said, "I just called to ask if you thought about The Clow Cards. What will happen to them now that Sakura and Syaoran are gone?" Tomoyo could tell that Meiling was crying.  
  
"That's right!" Tomoyo said, realizing it. "Now that they're gone, the cards don't have masters!"  
  
"We have to go find them!" Meiling said.  
  
"I'll meet you at Sakura's house right now," Tomoyo said and hung up the phone.  
  
~****Sakura's House****~  
  
(a/n: The same thing is happening at Syaoran's house.) The top drawer of Sakura's desk started to glow. Soon it opened, revealing a glowing book. The book suddenly dropped to the floor and opened.  
  
Every single Clow Card Sakura ever caught was flying out the window and flying in all different directions after they got out of the house, except one.  
  
Kero, who was in Sakura's room at the time crying, started to glow too. He suddenly stopped crying.  
  
"What the-" Kero started.  
  
"Ceroberus," a voice sounded.  
  
"Yes," Kero replied.  
  
A form of a beautiful lady dressed in white appeared in front of him. "Ceroberus, Guardian Beast of the Seal, we must do something about this."  
  
"About what, Windy?" Kero asked.  
  
"The only masters of The Clow Cards are gone," Windy said. "You must guard the seal again until another worthy Cardcaptor comes. We must all forget about the past and look into the future. Another potential person will come in one short month and you must train that person to become the new owner of the cards."  
  
"What about Sakura?" Kero asked.  
  
"Sakura is gone," Windy answered. "It was destiny that she died."  
  
"So you're going to tell me it was destiny for me to pick her as the new Card Mistress and then for her to die because of it?!?!?!" Kero yelled with anger.  
  
"Enough!" Windy shouted as she blew gusts of wind at Kero. "The Clow Cards will be much harder to capture now than before because they know not to underestimate the person. The Thunder will be waiting and in due time, he will want to face the new Cardcaptor and destroy her as well."  
  
Before Kero could respond he was sent back into The Book of Clow until another Cardcaptor came and released him.  
  
~****Outside of Sakura's House****~  
  
"I have to hurry!" Tomoyo yelled as she ran down the sidewalk to Sakura's house.  
  
When Tomoyo got in front of Sakura's house, she ran into someone and they both fell to the ground.  
  
"Tomoyo!" Meiling shouted. She was wearing jean shorts and a red tank top with long red socks and awesome high-heeled shoes on.  
  
"Meiling!" Tomoyo shouted back. She was wearing a blue mini skirt and a light blue T-shirt with a duck on it.  
  
"Gomen!" Meiling said, helping Tomoyo up off the ground.  
  
"It's all right," Tomoyo replied, brushing herself off. "We have to find The Book of Clow and The Clow Cards before Sakura's father does!"  
  
They both ran up to the front door of Sakura's house and Tomoyo rang the doorbell. Touya answered the door.  
  
"What do you guys need?" Touya asked in a sad voice.  
  
"We needed to look for something in Sakura's room," Meiling answered quickly and nervously.  
  
"All right, but if I catch you taking anything that isn't yours, you're both out of here," Touya said sinisterly, opening the door wider to let them in.  
  
Tomoyo and Meiling ran upstairs and into Sakura's room.  
  
"Kero," Tomoyo called at a whisper while Meiling could only look at the floor.  
  
"Look at this," Meiling said, crouching down by The Book of Clow. "It never looked like this before."  
  
Tomoyo crouched down too and looked at the book. Meiling was right. It did look different.  
  
Meiling picked it up and tried to open the seal. "It's stuck!"  
  
"Here, let me try," Tomoyo said and Meiling handed the book over to her.  
  
Tomoyo tried as hard as she could to open it but didn't have any luck. She was panting after trying so hard at opening it.  
  
Meiling picked up the book and sat on Sakura's bed while Tomoyo stayed on the floor. Trying as hard as she could, Meiling still couldn't break the seal.  
  
"I bet Kero is in there," Tomoyo stated after a while.  
  
"What do you mean?" Meiling asked, confused at how a small stuffed animal-like creature could fit into a book.  
  
"Kero's spirit was put back into the book and the cards all spread out over the city," Tomoyo explained.  
  
"Then who will catch them again?" Meiling asked again. "We certainly can't."  
  
"We'll just have to wait until another Cardcaptor comes," Tomoyo replied.  
  
"How can we wait?" Meiling asked, getting up with an angry look on her face.  
  
"It's our only choice," Tomoyo said, tears running down her cheeks. The one thing that reminded her of Sakura was unable to be opened and Sakura's Guardian was gone, too. Nothing was left of her dearest friend...  
  
~***************~  
  
Snow Horse: *crying her eyes out* I've been crying for so long! I did this in the morning before school and when I got there, I had to hold back tears. I know you all hate me, but I promise it'll get better! And if you must send flames, then make them less harsh...  
  
Tomoyo: Make the flames as harsh as possible! She killed Sakura and Li!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Snow Horse: It's hard being an author. Killing your own characters...  
  
Meiling: You mean killing CLAMP's characters, don't you?  
  
Snow Horse: *throws pillow at Meiling* Just send your flames already! Or nice reviews if you have them. I'm introducing one of my new characters in the next chapter so I hope you can give a warm welcome to her!!!!!!! 


	2. Another Cardcaptor

Another Chance  
  
Snow Horse  
  
I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. *sighs* But I do own this computer!!!!!!! *grabs computer* MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Another Cardcaptor  
  
"Izumi Hinako!" the teacher screamed at the top of her lungs. "Pay attention please!"  
  
A girl with emerald eyes and short auburn hair woke up from the daydream she was having in the middle of math class. She had a two red ribbons in her hair and was wearing a short red skirt with a white T-shirt that had a horse on it.  
  
"Gomen," the girl said slowly. "It'll never happen again, Mrs. Diamag."  
  
"It's your last day with us, Miss Hinako," Mrs. Diamag said to the auburn haired girl. "The least you could do is not cause any trouble and pay attention to my class."  
  
"All right," Izumi replied, looking really bored of the class. She had her elbow on the desk and her cheek resting on her hand. She looked out the window, trying to look for something exciting. Nothing, not one thing was outside. It was all calm and peaceful.  
  
'Just once I'd like to have an adventure!' Izumi screamed inside her head. 'I want something unexpected to happen!'  
  
Just then the bell rang, dismissing everyone from class. Izumi looked at Mrs. Diamag sitting at her desk.  
  
'She's wearing that rag again!' Izumi thought. 'I hate that thing!'  
  
Everyday, it seems like, Mrs. Diamag wears this one shall that is rainbow and everyone swears it is really a rag she is wearing instead of a shall.  
  
Izumi got up from her desk and slowly walked out of the classroom after everyone else had. It was the end of the day so everyone was talking to their friends.  
  
"Hey Hinako," a boy with golden hair and deep azure eyes said to Izumi, "how about me and you go out tonight since it's your last day here and all." He was wearing blue jeans and a skater shirt.  
  
"I'd rather go out with the ugliest person in the world than go out with you, Wong," Izumi said coldly and walked past him without any flaw at all.  
  
Izumi walked to her locker and opened it after doing the combination. her locker was right next to the hottest guy in school, Kei Wong. The thing was, Izumi didn't like him one bit but he was crazy about her.  
  
"Hi Izumi," a girl with long dirty blonde hair and maple eyes said to Izumi cheerfully. She was standing right next to Izumi's locker.  
  
"Hello Mika," Izumi replied as she smiled at her friend. Mika was wearing her blue shorts and a red, white, and blue tank top.  
  
"I'm going to miss you when you're gone," Mika said, leaning back against the lockers. "The whole squad is."  
  
"The cheerleading squad will just have to live without me," Izumi replied. "But I'm going to do you a favor before I leave and you'll thank me later."  
  
"What kind of favor?" Mika said, eyeing her friend suspiciously.  
  
"Let's just say that it involves you and me," Izumi answered sneakily. 'She has no idea what she is in for!' Izumi thought to herself and smirked.  
  
Mika left without another word while Izumi shut her locker and started walking outside. She had just reached the warm rays of the sun and the cool breeze of the wind when a boy with jade eyes and ruby hair ran over to her.  
  
"Hey Ron," Izumi said and waved to him.  
  
"So what did you want to meet me for?" Ron asked.  
  
"Let's go sit under the cherry blossom tree," Izumi suggested as she pointed to the most beautiful cherry blossom tree in the schoolyard.  
  
Ron and Izumi walked over to the cherry blossom tree, sat down on the bench, and Ron started the conversation.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yes, and if I don't take care of it now, it'll never be done," Izumi replied, knowing what she had to do. She put her hands behind her head, thinking of how happy this will make Mika and smiled.  
  
"What is it?" Ron asked, blushing at Izumi.  
  
"I need to-" Izumi paused and thought for a moment. 'I can't take the moment off of Mika,' thought Izumi. 'She'd be so disappointed!'  
  
"You need to what?" Ron asked, looking hopeful.  
  
"I guess I won't be here for it," Izumi accidentally said out loud.  
  
"For what?" Rona asked, confused. "You're not making any sense."  
  
Izumi laughed at her mistake. "I didn't mean to say that out loud, but it's better to learn from your mistakes," Izumi said cheerfully. "Maybe- "  
  
"Maybe what?" Ron asked, getting really impatient.  
  
"Just talk to Mika for me," Izumi said finally. "Please do it before I leave, but make it a private conversation, one that no one can hear."  
  
"Why in the world-?" Ron asked, very confused.  
  
"Just do it," Izumi interrupted, "for Mika's sake."  
  
"Okay," Ron said. "For Mika, but I still don't understand."  
  
"You will soon enough," Izumi said and smiled sneakily before getting up. "I'll talk to you later, you're going to be at the train station when I leave, right?"  
  
"Of course," Ron replied.  
  
Izumi walked off to her house, hoping that her plan would work. 'I want them to be happy, even if I'm not,' Izumi thought to herself and smiled.  
  
"Tomoeda," Izumi said out loud, but in a slight whisper, "here I come."  
  
~****Izumi's House****~  
  
"Where have you been?" a voice yelled from the kitchen when Izumi came into the house.  
  
"I was talking to Ron and Mika," Izumi replied to the voice, taking her shoes off.  
  
A boy a whole lot older than Izumi with auburn hair like hers but aqua eyes walked into the room. "Saying your good-byes, kaijuii?" he asked. (a/n: Is that how you spell kaijuii?)  
  
"I am not a kaijuii, Jounichi," Izumi yelled, "so stop calling me one!"  
  
"Jounichi, don't call your sister a kaijuii," a voice sounded from the kitchen. An older man who looked just like Jounichi walked into the room with a plate in his hand, drying it.  
  
"Otou-san, Mika might be coming later so tell her to come up to my room!" Izumi said, getting louder as she ran up the stairs.  
  
"Can't you give your sister a break," Hayao, Sakura's father, said. "After all, we are leaving tomorrow morning."  
  
"Fine," Jounichi replied, "I'll be nice to the little kaijuii."  
  
"Jounichi," Hayao said menacingly.  
  
"What?" Jounichi replied sneakily and went upstairs to his room.  
  
~****Izumi's Room****~  
  
Izumi was doing some work on the laptop Hayao gave her for Christmas, when she heard Jounichi walk up the steps.  
  
"Poor Jounichi," Izumi said almost silently, "having to leave his life here and start a new one."  
  
Izumi finished with her work and decided to go on the internet since she hasn't been on in forever.  
  
She logged onto her screen name, Wildfire, and clicked her 'inbox.'  
  
"New mail," she whispered as she looked for who it was from. "Of course, it's from Kei. I don't know how he got my screen name in the first place!" Izumi giggled as she opened it up. His e-mail was Hothunk...pathetic.  
  
Dearest Izumi,  
  
Why aren't you replying to any of my e-mails? Are you avoiding me? I can't believe you're moving. I'll miss you. You know I will. Hopefully, we can still talk through e-mail. That is if you ever reply. Reply soon!  
  
Kei  
  
"How sweet," Izumi said, sarcastically. "Shall I reply to the heartbroken lad?" She paused. "No, I shall not." Izumi closed Kei's e-mail and went to her favorite website.  
  
It was a game website Ron introduced her to. Whenever she was upset, she played games and it helped calm her down.  
  
Unnoticed to her, the doorbell rang. Jounichi answered it and looked down to see Mika, smiling happily.  
  
"Hello Jounichi-kun, is Izumi home?" Mika asked, more happily than ever.  
  
"She's in her room waiting for you," Jounichi answered and opened the door wider for her. Mika walked in and muttered a quick, "Arigatou," before running up the stairs.  
  
"Oh man! I lost again!" Izumi said, looking sad. She was laying belly- side down on her floor with her laptop right in front of her.  
  
"Izumi-chan!" Mika yelled as she walked happily into Izumi's room and sat beside her.  
  
Izumi sat and looked at her. "Hi Mika-chan," she said with glee.  
  
"I have major things to tell you, Izumi-chan!" Mika yelled like a love-sick puppy. (a/n: Hey! Don't laugh! You know what I mean!)  
  
"Like what?" Izumi asked, looking really confused. (a/n: Actually, she was really confused.)  
  
"Ron-chan just said that he loved me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mika shouted with a squeal.  
  
"And you said-?" Izumi asked.  
  
"I said that I loved him back, of course!" Mika squealed again.  
  
"And it was that easy?" Izumi asked, even more confused than before.  
  
"No way! It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life!" Mika shouted, standing up, and then lowered her voice again, "But I'm glad it's over and that makes me and Ron an official couple now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"I'm so happy for you!" Izumi yelled, standing up and hugging Mika.  
  
They both stopped hugging after a while and finally sat down again.  
  
"Hey, let's go online and see if you can meet a guy!" Mika shouted as she pointed to Izumi's laptop.  
  
"I don't think so," Izumi replied.  
  
"Oh come on, Wildfire!" Mika screamed.  
  
"Okay," Izumi finally said. "We'll go on and go into a chat room but we will not tell anyone who we are."  
  
"Right," Mika said.  
  
Izumi laid back down into her position and Mika laid beside her. Izumi logged back onto her screen name, Wildfire. She found a useful chat room about video games and decided to go in.  
  
"Video games?" Mika asked, confused.  
  
"At least we'll know that boys are going to be here," Izumi answered. "Besides, I love video games! Just let me do all the typing."  
  
"Okay," Mika said.  
  
There were only three people in the chat room, Kawaiiluver, Magicdude, and Karatekid.  
  
Magicdude: looks like we got a new person on this chat! hey Wildfire!  
  
Wildfire: Hello everyone!  
  
Karatekid: jeez, dont spell things out right...  
  
Kawaiiluver: u a gurl or guy, Wildfire?  
  
Wildfire: gurl  
  
Kawaiiluver: yes! these peoples r both guys. they bore me to death!  
  
Wildfire: *rotfl*  
  
Magicdude: dont pretend like we're not here, its very mean, ya know!  
  
Karatekid: very  
  
Kawaiiluver: *sighs* i'm surrounded by buffoons...So, Wildfire, y r u in this chat?  
  
Wildfire: my friend made me, actually, she's right beside me...looking like she wants to kill me.............but she said that i needed to meet a guy........yea right  
  
Magicdude: i'm single here! over here!  
  
Kawaiiluver: u r sooooooo lucky u r at ur house....  
  
Magicdude: y?  
  
Kawaiiluver: cuz i want to whack u right now!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Magicdude: *curls up in a corner*  
  
Wildfire: lol.......u haven't talked much yet, Karatekid, y not???  
  
Karatekid: i have to move in 4 days...  
  
Wildfire: 2 bad...i'm moving 2morrow...sadly...  
  
Kawaiiluver: will u still have ur screen name?  
  
Wildfire: hai  
  
Kawaiiluver: so u r Japanese? me 2!!!!! and we can talk and become friends!  
  
"Kawaiiluver seems really interesting," Mika said.  
  
"Hai, I bet we'll become fast friends," Izumi replied.  
  
"I think you should reply or something," Mika said, pointing to the screen.  
  
"Right!" Izumi said and looked at the screen.  
  
Kawaiiluver: wuts ur name?  
  
Wildfire: cant say in a chat room....too dangerous.  
  
Karatekid: right, we r waiting outside ur house, ready to kill u...  
  
Wildfire: thats not funny!  
  
Magicdude: Is it safe to come out yet???????????  
  
Kawaiiluver: NO!!!  
  
Magicdude: ok...  
  
Wildfire: wut made u choose that name, Kawaiiluver??  
  
Kawaiiluver: My bff was always so kawaii, but she died last month...............its in honor of her.  
  
Wildfire: Gomen nasai...  
  
Kawaiiluver: its ok, i'm ok now...  
  
Magicdude: sooooooo  
  
Kawaiiluver: WUT NOW???????  
  
Magicdude: *cowers in corner again* NOTHING!  
  
Kawaiiluver: I really hope everything will turn out ok w/ ur new school and stuff, both of u.  
  
Wildfire: thanks  
  
Karatekid: thanks  
  
Kawaiiluver: *giggling*  
  
Wildfire: y r u giggling????????  
  
Kawaiiluver: u guys sent that at the same time!  
  
Wildfire: *sweatdropped*  
  
Kawaiiluver: it reminds me of my bff and her crush...........they totally luved each other but never admitted it, now they can't cuz they r both gone.........  
  
Wildfire: both?!?!?!?!!??!!?  
  
Kawaiiluver: hai...  
  
Wildfire: wow...how sad...  
  
Kawaiiluver: it was horrible...  
  
Wildfire: .......  
  
Kawaiiluver: well, it is getting late. hopefully, u'll find a guy like ur friend said, Wildfire! gtg, bye  
  
Wildfire: BYE Kawaiiluver!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver signed off at 8:23.  
  
Magicdude: she gone????  
  
Wildfire: hai  
  
Magicdude: phew! thankfully....  
  
Wildfire: i think she likes u...  
  
Magicdude: wut??????  
  
Wildfire: KL loves MD!!!!  
  
Magicdude: wut does that stand for???  
  
Wildfire: Kawaiiluver loves Magicdude!!! And vice-versa! lol  
  
Magicdude: i dont have to take this...  
  
Magicdude signed off at 8:30.  
  
Wildfire: i guess i'm not a people person...  
  
Wildfire: hello???  
  
Wildfire: r u there??? Karatekid???  
  
Karatekid: ..........  
  
Wildfire: i guess u r'nt a talker...that's ok...how bout questions!!! And my friend wants to join sooooooo we each ask a question and everyone has to answer, but nothing personal like......name, address, that kind of thing.  
  
Karatekid: oooooook  
  
Wildfire: my friend asked wut's ur fav color?  
  
Karatekid: green  
  
Wildfire: mine's pink & my friend's is blue  
  
Wildfire: gomen, aqua blue....  
  
Karatekid: how bout, wut's ur fav class?  
  
Wildfire: gym, and my friend's is english  
  
Karatekid: mine's gym, too...  
  
"You have one thing in common!" Mika exclaimed. "Sounds like love to me!"  
  
"Mika," Izumi said, "It's not-"  
  
"Mika-kun!" called Hayao from downstairs. "Your Okaa-san called and wants you home right away!"  
  
"Okay!" Mika yelled before getting up and turning to Izumi. "Tell me everything in an e-mail or send the conversation to me!"  
  
Mika left with glee and pride in her eyes as Izumi looked back at her computer screen.  
  
Karatekid: r u there????  
  
Wildfire: gomen, my friend just left...had to go home...  
  
Karatekid: o, i c...  
  
Wildfire: i had better get going....but i'll be on tomorrow cuz i have the whole train ride to my new house to be on my laptop...around 11:00?  
  
Karatekid: i'll be on, ja  
  
Wildfire: Oyasumi Karatekid...  
  
Izumi logged off after sending her last message to Karatekid. Shutting her laptop off, she decided to take a long hot bath before going to bed.  
  
After her soothing bath, she put on her pajamas and went to bed, her dreams peaceful...  
  
~****Next Day, Izumi's House****~  
  
"Ohayo, Otou-san," Jounichi said as he walked down the stairs.  
  
"Ohayo, Jounichi, ready for the big day?" Hayao asked his son.  
  
"Ready as I'll ever be," Jounichi replied.  
  
"Fujitaka Kinomoto sold his house to us so we should be grateful, especially after what happened to his only daughter," Hayao sighed.  
  
"What happened?" Jounichi asked, sitting down across from his father at the kitchen table.  
  
"HOOOOOOOEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Izumi shouted from her bedroom. Izumi put on a pair of tan capris and her second favorite shirt, which was one of those light see through ones with the semi long sleeves and V-neck and it was light blue. She brushed out her short auburn hair and out in two little pigtails on the sides somewhat. (a/n: How Sakura always has her hair, OK!?!!?! I'm not very good at this...)  
  
Izumi ran downstairs and sat at the table beside Jounichi. "Did I miss anything?" Izumi asked.  
  
"Otou-san was just going to tell me what happened to Fujitaka Kinomoto's daughter," Jounichi pointed out.  
  
"Well, no one really knows what happened to her," Hayao explained. "She was just found with her friend, they were both nearly dead and it was their best friend who found them. It was a shock to her, I'm sure."  
  
"That's so awful," Izumi said sadly. "When did it happen?"  
  
"Last month," Hayao answered. "So are you both ready for our trip?"  
  
"Hai," Izumi and Jounichi said in unison.  
  
Izumi, Jounichi, and Hayao gathered up their stuff and loaded it onto a moving van. Soon, they got into the car and headed for the train station.  
  
When they got there, Ron and Mika were waiting for Izumi, to say good- bye.  
  
"Izumi-chan, we'll miss you so much!" Mika practically yelled, giving Izumi a hug.  
  
"I'll miss you guys too," Izumi replied.  
  
They let out their hug and Izumi shook Ron's hand because Izumi and Ron were NOT going to hug. They just aren't like that, even though it would have been okay.  
  
"Did you talk to Karatekid some more?" Mika asked quietly.  
  
"I just said good-bye and that's all," Izumi answered. "I also told him that I'd be on at around 11:00 today to talk."  
  
"I'll have to be on then too!" Mika squeaked and smiled. "It'll be so kawaii!!!" (a/n: Sounds like Tomoyo! lol...)  
  
"Well, bye guys!" Izumi yelled as she got on the train with her Otou- san and Onii-chan.  
  
All three of them found seats near each other and sat down comfortably. Izumi looked at her watch. It read 11:02am. 'Time to get online,' Izumi thought as she opened her laptop.  
  
Izumi logged onto her screen name, Wildfire, and clicked on her 'inbox.'  
  
'New mail,' she thought as she looked from whom did the e-mails come from. One was from Kawaiiluver. Another from Karatekid. And the last one was from Hothunk, aka Kei.  
  
'Does he ever give up?' Izumi thought as she deleted his e-mail entirely. Izumi opened the one from Kawaiiluver.  
  
Hey Wildfire! How r u doing? I'll be on today at 12:00 so we can talk then, gtg, bye!  
  
~Kawaiiluver~  
  
Izumi didn't bother replying because she could just talk to her later. Instead, she opened Karatekid's e-mail.  
  
Hey Wildfire! I just wanted to say that I'm probably going to be a little late for talking today. I'll be on by 11:20 though!  
  
Karatekid  
  
'Okay, I'll be talking to him soon too,' Izumi thought and looked at her watch, 11:18am. 'Karatekid should be on soon.'  
  
Just then an IM popped up. It wasn't from Karatekid, but from Hothunk...  
  
Hothunk: Hey Izumi...how u doing?  
  
Wildfire: buz off b4 I make u...  
  
Hothunk: y do u have to be so harsh?  
  
Wildfire: u r hopeless...now beat it!  
  
Hothunk: i'm only hopelessly in love w/ u...  
  
Another IM suddenly popped up. Izumi smiled because it was from Karatekid...  
  
Karatekid: Hey Wildfire!  
  
Wildfire: can u do me a favor???  
  
Karatekid: sure, wut is it???  
  
Wildfire: this kid keeps bothering me and he wont go away...can u help???  
  
Karatekid: we can go to chat and i'll talk to him...  
  
Wildfire: ARIGATOU!!!!!!  
  
Izumi pressed the chat button and invited Karatekid and Hothunk to it. Soon they were both there.  
  
Hothunk: wut's the deal w/ the chat? is this the only way u'll talk to me???  
  
Wildfire: i want u to go take a hike and never come back!!!!!  
  
Hothunk: o come on, Izumi...  
  
Wildfire: O.O  
  
Hothunk: wut was that for???  
  
Wildfire: my-uh-name..............  
  
Hothunk: u mean u didnt tell this kid ur name yet???  
  
Wildfire: no.........................................................................  
  
Karatekid: y should she??? she doesnt have to, it is the internet...  
  
Hothunk: u dont no Izumi like i do...captain of the cheerleading squad, most popular gurl in the school, downright beautiful, sweet, talented, and she gets straight A's!  
  
Wildfire: u make me sound perfect...i'm NOT perfect and i'm not half those things...  
  
Hothunk: still u will do n e thing!  
  
Wildfire: anything that wont damage my health in n e way! No offense, Karatekid, but u just cant trust some internet people...  
  
Karatekid: I agree and no hard feelings, Wildfire...  
  
Hothunk: sorry to break the loving moment, but y am I talking to u.....u seem like a wuss...  
  
Karatekid: u'll pay for that u perv!  
  
Hothunk: and wut's the wuss gunna do bout it?  
  
Wildfire: SHUT THE HELL UP BOTH OF U!!!!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: thank you...now Kei, go away and leave me alone. I never want to see u again as long as i live AND if u ever go near Mika or Ron, u will pay dearly!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: Kawaiiluver is on!!!!!! YAY! i'm gunna invite her...................(Izumi invites Kawaiiluver to the chat room)  
  
Wildfire: Uh-Karatekid....  
  
Hothunk: Hold it! HE gets all this nice stuff and I get "leave me alone and never talk to me again!" u'll pay for that, u slut!  
  
Karatekid: Don't call her a slut!!!!!!!!!!! Just b/c u r a bastard, doesn't mean u can call her names!  
  
Hothunk: wut did u just call me???  
  
Karatekid: u r a bastard and a perv so leave Wildfire alone now or ELSE!!!!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver enters chat room.  
  
Kawaiiluver: who r u?  
  
Wildfire: be quiet.....dont talk....u'll be yelled at...  
  
Hothunk: u will hate the day u were born, u fuckin' asshole!!  
  
Karatekid: i told u to get the fuck out of here!!!!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: wut's w/ them???  
  
Wildfire: they dont like each other very much...  
  
Hothunk: I dont need to be told when to leave, bastard!  
  
Kawaiiluver: i noticed that but y?  
  
Karatekid: leave the fuckin chat room right now!!!!  
  
Wildfire: Hothunk called me a slut and then Karatekid stood up for me...by the way, arigatou Karatekid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hothunk: wut?????????  
  
Kawaiiluver: he called u a wut?????????  
  
Karatekid: huh????? wuts w/ the question marks???????  
  
Wildfire: uh-  
  
Kawaiiluver: Hothunk! U fuckin pervert! i'm going to kick ur ass if u dont get out of this fuckin chat room right fuckin now you bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hothunk left the chat room.  
  
Wildfire: O.O  
  
Karatekid: well.......that was interesting...  
  
Kawaiiluver: no 1 messes w/ my friends!  
  
Wildfire: ARIGATOU KAWAIILUVER!!!!!!! ARIGATOU KARATEKID!!!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: i'm sick of not knowing ur names so i'm Tomoyo...  
  
Wildfire: Izumi...nice to meet u!  
  
Karatekid: Tetsuya...  
  
Wildfire: thats a cute name.  
  
Karatekid: thanks...  
  
Kawaiiluver: *giggling* again i am reminded of my bff and her crush...Tetsuya was definitely blushing then...  
  
Wildfire: if he wasnt then, he is NOW! rotfl  
  
Karatekid: i am not blushing!  
  
Kawaiiluver: YES U R!  
  
Wildfire: huh??? we r at the train station already! O man! I gtg, but i'll talk to u l8er!  
  
Izumi quickly logged off her screen name after sending her last message and closed her laptop. 'I guess life won't be so bad since I've already made two friends, even if they are on the internet,' Izumi thought as she walked off the train after Otou-san.  
  
Izumi looked around and saw a whole bunch of people getting on and off the train.  
  
"Come along Izumi," Hayao said as he walked over to a cab. Izumi quickly followed, not wanting to get lost.  
  
Hayao, Jounichi, and Izumi got into the cab and they sped off towards their new house and the Kinomotos' old house.  
  
Izumi said nothing while they were in the cab. She didn't want to say anything that might hurt her father's feelings about coming here. 'Maybe coming here was for the better?' Izumi thought.  
  
The cab soon pulled up to the house and they all got out after Hayao paid the driver. Izumi looked at the house and smiled. 'This is my new house, where I'll invite my new friends to, from my new school," Izumi thought. "Everything is new, nothing old."  
  
They walked inside and Izumi ran up to her new room or Sakura's old one. She walked in with her mouth wide open.  
  
It was pink! The walls were pink! Izumi's favorite color was the color of the walls! 'Wait, was pink Kinomoto-san's daughter's favorite color too?' Izumi thought. 'I wonder how much we have in common.'  
  
'I might as well set my laptop up,' Izumi thought, 'maybe Kawaiiluver and Karatekid are still on.'  
  
Izumi walked over to the desk and set her laptop down. She sat on the chair and realized something. 'Why is this furniture here?' Izumi thought. 'Oh well, I'll ask Otou-san later.'  
  
Izumi turned on her laptop and logged onto her account, Wildfire. A second later, an invite to a chat came up, from Karatekid!  
  
Izumi quickly clicked on it and soon she was in the chat room with Kawaiiluver, Magicdude, and Karatekid.  
  
Kawaiiluver: So u r at ur new house?  
  
Wildfire: hai, its wonderful!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: thats good...i really hope u dont mind but where r u going to school now???  
  
Wildfire: well, I KNOW I can trust u guys now after wut u did for me so Tomoeda Elementary...  
  
Kawaiiluver: KAWAII!!!! I GO THERE!!!!!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: REALLY??????  
  
Kawaiiluver: HAI! r u coming to school tomorrow???  
  
Wildfire: hai, maybe we can be friends now!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: of course!  
  
Karatekid: uh-Tomoyo? Did u know Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li?  
  
Kawaiiluver: Sakura-chan was my best friend...Li-kun was her crush and also my friend...  
  
Karatekid: Syaoran is my cousin...  
  
Kawaiiluver: WUT????  
  
Karatekid: Tetsuya Li....Syaoran was the Li-Clan's next leader, now they don't have any heirs...Yelan, Syaoran's Okaa-san, was really upset. the Li- Clan Elders now told me to finish wut Syaoran started, but I cant tell u guys about it...  
  
Kawaiiluver: do u mean 'the cards'?  
  
Karatekid: O.O u know!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: Sakura was the CM of 'the cards' I videotaped all of her captures.....even the one where she died along with Li-kun...  
  
Wildfire: i'm confuzzled.........  
  
Kawaiiluver: gomen, but u wouldnt understand...  
  
Karatekid: confuzzled???  
  
Wildfire: it's Ron's saying...he kept saying it to me and Mika, it caught on...  
  
Kawaiiluver: who's Ron???  
  
Wildfire: gomen, my bff, Mika's, boyfriend....since yesterday.  
  
Kawaiiluver: O.......u r'nt saying much, Eriol  
  
Wildfire: Eriol???  
  
Kawaiiluver: Magicdude's name is Eriol, but he wont tell us anymore...  
  
Wildfire: ^o^  
  
Kawaiiluver: kawaii....i could just see u doing that!  
  
Wildfire: O.O see me??? *looks out window* r u a stalker or something????  
  
Kawaiiluver: u just sound so much like Sakura!  
  
Wildfire: phew...  
  
Magicdude: gomen, i was eating...  
  
Kawaiiluver: -_-`  
  
Wildfire: rotfl  
  
Karatekid: is that all u ever say???  
  
Wildfire: Iie, wut about hysl???  
  
Karatekid: wut???  
  
Wildfire: holding your stomach laughing...  
  
Magicdude: nice 1...  
  
Wildfire: thanks...  
  
Kawaiiluver: u r moving here 2, I suppose, Li-kun...  
  
Karatekid: hai, b/c of 'the cards'  
  
Wildfire: would u stop it w/ the cards? its dead annoying, really!  
  
Wildfire: wait, u r moving here 2!!!! YAY! I get 2 new friends here now!!!!!  
  
Karatekid: -_-`  
  
Kawaiiluver: *giggling* Li-kun & Izumi-chan 4ever!!!!!  
  
Karatekid: WUT?!?!?!?!!?  
  
Wildfire: WUT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!  
  
Kawaiiluver: i wish i could tape ur reactions!!!! *shiny eyes*  
  
Wildfire: Tomoyo-chan!  
  
Kawaiiluver: Izumi-chan blushes.....and Li-kun turns beat red. Romance is in the air!!!  
  
Wildfire: u would not be saying that if i was w/ u right now!!!!!!!  
  
Magicdude: it looks like Izumi-chan wants to hit Tomoyo-chan, but how does Tetsuya-kun feel about this???  
  
Karatekid: -_-` dumbfounded really...  
  
Wildfire: lol turns into hysl turns into rotfl....  
  
Kawaiiluver: gtg do my hmwk!!!!  
  
Wildfire: 2 bad...  
  
Kawaiiluver: talk to ya l8er!  
  
Kawaiiluver signed off at 6:00pm.  
  
Wildfire: time flies when u r talking to friends online...  
  
Karatekid: o yea...  
  
Magicdude: i'll just leave u 2 lovebirds in peace...  
  
Magicdude signed off at 6:05pm.  
  
Wildfire: -_-`  
  
Karatekid: rotfl  
  
Wildfire: thats my line!  
  
Karatekid: gomen...  
  
Wildfire: hey, when u arrive in town, maybe we can meet......w/ Tomoyo I mean...  
  
Karatekid: sounds great...  
  
Wildfire: hopefully the kids at school will be as nice as u guys...  
  
Karatekid: well, Miss Cheerleading Captain is scared of her first day at a new school...  
  
Wildfire: :p  
  
Izumi decided to log off and let Tetsuya think about what he just said. She shut her laptop off and closed it. 'I'm not the person they think I am,' Izumi thought. 'I'm an evil person. I don't deserve friends like them!'  
  
Izumi had a single tear come down her cheek. 'I need something to read,' Izumi thought and looked around the room. 'If this furniture is still here then maybe a book is too.'  
  
Izumi looked around the room, under the bed and around the floor. Then she opened the top drawer of the desk. A book was silently sitting there all alone.  
  
Izumi picked it up and examined it. The book was clearly old and had some weird symbols on it. 'Odd,' Izumi thought as she opened the book. The lock on it was open.  
  
Inside was a hole, big enough for really long cards to fit into.  
  
"Really odd," Izumi whispered to herself.  
All of a sudden, the book started to glow. Izumi dropped it, because of the fast reflexes she had.  
  
It closed and landed with a thud on the floor, but continued to glow. Suddenly, a little creature that looked like a stuffed bear with huge ears and wings came out of the cover of the book.  
  
It opened its eyes and looked straight at Izumi. "Who are you?" it asked.  
  
"I-I'm Izumi Hinako," Izumi said with a stutter. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Ceroberus, Guardian of the Seal, but you may call me Kero, my new Mistress," Kero said with glee.  
  
"Mistress?" Izumi said with shock as she sat down on the bed.  
  
"Yes," Kero answered, "you did open the book, didn't you?"  
  
"Hai, demo what is going on?" Izumi asked, confused.  
  
"You opened The Book of Clow," Kero explained. "Now you have to capture all of the Clow Cards in order to bring peace back to the town. I am your Guardian and will help you as you need help. Each Clow Card has an action like Windy or Storm, but some are more powerful than others."  
  
"How will I catch them?" Izumi asked, amazed that this was actually happening to her.  
  
"With this," Kero said as he held out a key that looked like a bird's head. "You say an incantation and then it turns into a wand. You can capture the Clow Cards with it."  
  
"All right," Izumi said, "it seems fun!"  
  
"It's no fun and games, Izumi," Kero warned. "The Thunder Card is how Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li died."  
  
A shock of realization ran through Izumi. It felt like her whole world was crashing down. 'Sakura-san was killed by a Clow Card?' Izumi thought, 'And so was Syaoran-san?'  
  
"I can't believe it," Izumi gulped.  
  
"It's true," Kero said. "We can always visit Tomoyo Daidouji, she has it all on tape."  
  
"Tomoyo Daidouji?" Izumi questioned.  
  
"She was Sakura's best friend," Kero explained.  
  
"Do you know where she lives?" Izumi asked.  
  
"Yes," Kero said before he was grabbed by the tail and tugged out the door.  
  
"Get into my back pack," Izumi whispered as she took off her backpack right above the staircase.  
  
Kero quickly got into Izumi's backpack and she headed downstairs.  
  
"Otou-san, I'm going to a new friend's house," Izumi said before walking towards the door.  
  
"You've made a new friend already?" Hayao stated. "That's wonderful!"  
  
"I was wondering if I could sleepover," Izumi questioned pleadingly. "I'll call as soon as I get there and tell you if I can."  
  
"All right," Hayao said, "but take this." Hayao gave Izumi a package and said, "It's your new uniform for school. Your friend knows the school, doesn't she?"  
  
"Hai," Izumi said cheerfully. "Arigatou Otou-san!" Izumi left the house with a huge smile on her face.  
  
Izumi got outside where it was slightly breezy and as soon as she was out of seeing distance of the house, she opened her backpack and let Kero out.  
  
"Which way, Kero?" Izumi asked.  
  
"This way," Kero answered, pointing in a direction.  
  
They took off in that direction with Kero pointing out the turns as they went.  
  
~****Tomoyo's House****~  
  
"445 times 465," a wondering amethyst eyed girl said out loud as she did her math homework. Her long violet hair was stretched out along her back. She was wearing purple butterfly pajamas that had long pants and a tank top.  
  
KNOCK-KNOCK!  
  
"Miss Daidouji," the maid said from outside of Tomoyo's room, "a girl named Izumi Hinako is here to see you."  
  
"Izumi Hinako?" Tomoyo questioned almost silently. "Izumi! I'll be right down!"  
  
Tomoyo quickly closed her math book, put on her slippers and started down her big spiral staircase.  
  
When Tomoyo got downstairs, an auburn haired girl was waiting for her. She turned around to face Tomoyo and had beautiful emerald eyes.  
  
"You look just how I pictured!" Tomoyo squealed with delight. "How did you find my house?"  
  
"Let's go in your room and I'll explain," Izumi replied.  
  
"Okay, follow me," Tomoyo stated and both girls walked slowly up the steps. They soon reached Tomoyo's purple wall papered room.  
  
"Spill," Tomoyo said, sitting on her bed.  
  
Izumi took off her backpack and opened it. Kero came flying out.  
  
"Kero!" Tomoyo almost screamed with joy.  
  
"Hello Tomoyo," Kero said.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Izumi is the new Card Mistress of the Clow Cards," Kero stated.  
  
"Yay! More kawaii outfits for me to make and more kawaii captures for me to film!" Tomoyo said, shiny eyed. "But what about Sakura and Li?"  
  
"They're gone Tomoyo," Kero stated. "They would want us to continue catching the cards for them."  
  
"You're right," Tomoyo replied. "So Izumi, we finally meet!"  
  
"Uh-Tomoyo, would you mind it if Kero and I spend the night?" Izumi asked shyly as she sat beside Tomoyo. "I would really like to watch some of the tapes from the captures."  
  
"Of course you can!" Tomoyo said with a smile.  
  
"Okay!" Izumi replied. "I just have to call my dad."  
  
Izumi quickly called her dad and told him that everything was all right and she also told him Tomoyo's phone number. (a/n: It's too boring to explain.)  
  
"Let's watch this one first!" Tomoyo squealed with delight.  
  
"Which one is that?" Kero questioned.  
  
"The Dash Card, parts 1 & 2," Tomoyo responded and popped the tape in.  
  
The screen soon came up with those wavy lines thigns and the scratchy noise. Soon, it was on...  
  
(a/n: I'm kind of not going to show it because I can't remember what happened, really.I remember Sakura letting The Dash go because her friend, uh-was it Naoko or wait, Rika...which one???? Anyway, her friend needed The Dash to win her race or something like that. OK, on w/ the story!)  
  
The tape was soon over and Izumi was amazed at how good Sakura was at Cardcapting. She could never take her place, not in a million years!  
  
"Uh-Tomoyo?" Izumi asked. "Could we watch the last one?"  
  
Tomoyo looked down.  
  
"We don't have to if you don't want to!" Izumi said hastily.  
  
"No, it'll help me and Kero," Tomoyo said and got up. She walked over to her video storage center in her room and brought out the last one in line.  
  
Tomoyo popped it into the VCR and pressed play.  
  
(a/n: I'm not going to copy all that so if you want to know what happened again, go back to the prologue! I'm not trying to be mean or anything but I really think copying it would be a waste...)  
  
~****The Thunder Card****~  
  
(a/n: Did you really think I was going to leave you like that? Well, here's the recap of The Thunder Card...It all starts here...)  
  
"I've always wondered, but what do you do with all of Tomoyo's outfits that she gives you?" Kero asked curiously.  
  
"I keep them," Sakura said slowly.  
  
"Let's just go already," Syaoran said. "The Clow Card is waiting for us."  
  
"Right," Sakura replied. She said the incantation to The Key of Clow (a/n: I'll get it sometime!) and took a card out from her pocket. "FLY!" She threw the card into the air and slammed her wand against it and her wand suddenly grew wings.  
  
"Let's go!" Sakura said as she sat on her wand and helped Tomoyo up. "Coming Syaoran?" Sakura asked when Syaoran hesitated.  
  
"Yep," Syaoran replied, blushing at the sound of his name from her, "let's go." He sat behind Tomoyo and they all went in search of The Clow Card.  
  
Flying over the park, a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and practically hit Sakura and the others.  
  
"I already caught The Storm Card!" Sakura yelled at Kero. "What card is this?"  
  
Another bolt of lightning hit beside them and Sakura felt it safer if they went down to the ground.  
  
"It's The Thunder Card!" Syaoran yelled, realizing it then.  
  
"The Thunder?" Sakura questioned.  
  
"It's very powerful Sakura," Kero stated. "Be careful."  
  
"Don't worry Kero," Sakura said confidently. "I know what to do."  
  
Sakura grabbed the cards from her pocket and looked at them until she found the one she wanted.  
  
"JUMP!" Sakura yelled and her shoes got little wings on them. She dodged the bolts with The Jump Card and was looking for its center. Syaoran was doing the same but without the card, so they could make it harder for the card since they were separated.  
  
"There!" Syaoran yelled, stopping for just a second.  
  
But that second cost him and a bolt of lightning hit him right there.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura yelled and jumped off of where she was and tried dodging bolts of lightning to get to Syaoran before another bolt hit him. She finally got there and felt his pulse. He wasn't breathing!  
  
"Li just got hit by a bolt of lightning!" Tomoyo practically yelled to Kero.  
  
"Maybe it will knock some sense into the little gaki," Kero said, a bit muffled.  
  
Sakura knew she had to find the center fast so she looked to where Syaoran said to before. She saw a tiger-like shape. 'That must be its true form!' Sakura thought.  
  
"Sakura, watch out!" Tomoyo yelled from where her and Kero were. Sakura looked up and saw a bolt of lightning coming straight towards her.  
  
She blacked out right before the film stopped.  
  
~****Back in Tomoyo's Bedroom****~  
  
"I dropped the camera after that," Tomoyo stated, tears running down her cheeks. "Later I had to go back to get it because it was the last time I ever saw Sakura fighting a Clow Card."  
  
"It's okay, Tomoyo," Izumi said comfortably as she put her arm around Tomoyo to make her feel better. (a/n: Not in the gross kind of way!!!!!!!)  
  
Tomoyo wiped her tears away and started talking normally, "Do you want to go online? We can both go on our screen names."  
  
"Sure," Izumi replied, taking her arm off of Tomoyo and taking out her laptop.  
  
'I wonder if Tetsuya e-mailed me to apologize,' Izumi wondered. 'He just doesn't understand, no one does.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
a/n: CLIFFHANGER! My first one! Well, I'll be getting the next chap up soon! Please R&R! 


	3. The First Day of School & A Capture

Another Chance  
  
By: Snow Horse  
  
I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. *sighs* But I do own this computer!!!!!!! *grabs computer* MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?  
  
Key: "talking"  
  
'thinking'  
  
~****scene change****~  
  
(a/n: author's note)  
  
Recap:  
  
Tomoyo wiped her tears away and started talking normally, "Do you want to go online? We can both go on our screen names."  
  
"Sure," Izumi replied, taking her arm off of Tomoyo and taking out her laptop.  
  
'I wonder if Tetsuya e-mailed me to apologize,' Izumi wondered. 'He just doesn't understand, no one does.'  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The First Day of School and A Capture  
  
"Nothing," an auburn haired girl whispered under her breath.  
  
"Nothing?" a violet haired girl asked, confused.  
  
"Tetsuya didn't e-mail me," Izumi said sadly.  
  
"Was he supposed to?" Tomoyo asked, looking concerned as she turned away from her computer.  
  
"I just thought that maybe-" Izumi started but cut herself off. "I should have known better than to open myself up to him. He seemed like an okay guy, really he did. It's just-" Izumi started to get tears in her eyes.  
  
"What happened?" Tomoyo asked as she sat down beside Izumi on the floor, her amethyst eyes full of concern for her new found friend.  
  
"He made a rude comment to me and I will quote, 'Well, Miss Cheerleading Captain is afraid of going to a new school.'" Izumi said with her figure pointed in the air.  
  
"He might have just been joking," Tomoyo suggested.  
  
"Tetsuya was joking, but it's no joking matter," Izumi agreed with her head down. "I was Cheerleading Captain at my old school. I was the meanest one the school ever had before, but I turned later on."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"There was a time I was once the girlfriend of Kei Wong, aka Hothunk," Izumi started.  
  
"WHAT!?!?!?!??!?!?!!?" Tomoyo yelled. "That bastard?"  
  
Izumi nodded her head and continued. "My mom had died the year I came to that school. I officially made a name for myself, bad girl of the school. I was mean and horrid and impossible to be friends with. I found myself going out with Kei just because he was the most popular guy in the grade. I was hopeless then. I had made Cheerleading Captain and was evil and made the hardest routines for the girls. Kei loved every minute of it, of me being on his side. I had loved it at the time too. I didn't care about grades, I didn't care about anything. I would've gladly gotten arrested for all I care."  
  
"You can't be serious?" Tomoyo asked, her amethyst eyes now filled with fear.  
  
"I am," Izumi responded. "No matter how hard I want to forget it, I am. Until one summer, the best summer of my life. I was sent to camp for two whole months. It was a boy/girl camp and my bunkmate was Mika. I started to open up to Mika and then we met Ron. No back then, he was totally hot. Back then, both Mika and I had the hots for him. He, on the other hand, liked me for the nice, smart girl I was turning into thanks to Mika. And one night, he kissed me. I hated myself for it too. I had always liked him for his looks, but Mika had liked him for more than that. So the next day Ron and I confirmed that we wouldn't be boyfriend/girlfriend anymore. For the rest of the summer, I carried a weight around, the weight of turning on the only one who understood me."  
  
"But you didn't-" Tomoyo started, but Izumi interrupted.  
  
"I did hate myself for it," Izumi said. "I couldn't have been a worse friend. So before I left, I hooked Ron and Mika together. They were meant to be together and I'm meant to be alone."  
  
"I'll say this," Tomoyo said. "You aren't making any sense."  
  
"I know I'm not, but-" Izumi started but she was interrupted by Tomoyo's cell phone ringing.  
  
Tomoyo walked over and picked it up. "Hello?" Tomoyo asked and then started listening intently.  
  
Soon, her face went pale and she turned to Izumi. Tomoyo hung up the phone and started getting tears in her eyes.  
  
"Y-your b-brother j-just got into a-an accident," Tomoyo stammered out, crying.  
  
"W-what?" Izumi asked, crying. "Why didn't they call on my phone?"  
  
"Your phone is dead that's why," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"But how?" Izumi asked, tears flowing down her cheeks.  
  
"We have to get to the hospital!" Tomoyo cried as they both ran out the door and had Tomoyo's Okaa-san drive them to the hospital.  
  
"Will he be all right?" Izumi heard Otou-san ask the doctor.  
  
"He can't die!" Izumi screamed out of the top of her lungs.  
  
"Izumi," Hayao whispered softly, tears filling his eyes.  
  
"He'll be all right, won't he? Won't he?!?!?!" Izumi cried again.  
  
"He's unconscious right now," the doctor said solemnly.  
  
Izumi burst into more tears as Tomoyo tried to comfort her but just burst into tears herself. It was Sakura and Syaoran all over again.  
  
Izumi couldn't take it anymore. She ran out of the hospital with Tomoyo right behind her. She ran to the park and sat down on a bench.  
  
"Izumi," Tomoyo whispered as she caught up with Izumi and sat next to her, "it'll be all right. Kero is still sleeping in my room, you know."  
  
"No, I can't take it," Izumi replied softly. "I'm through with being the nice girl. I'm absolutely through with it. No one can tell me what to do anymore, no one."  
  
"Izumi," Tomoyo whispered again, not sure of what to say.  
  
"Tomoyo, we'll still be friends. We'll always be friends," Izumi said. "I will never open my heart to anyone ever again, no one except you and Otou-san. You both will be there for me no matter what I do."  
  
"What about the Clow Cards?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"I'll still catch them," Izumi said. "It's my duty, but no card is going to push me around, no one will ever push me around."  
  
~****The Airport****~  
  
A chestnut haired boy with amber eyes walked off the plane and into the airport. Luckily, a plane was going to take off and he could get on it and come here.  
  
'I have to apologize to Izumi personally and maybe find out why she was mad at me in the first place,' the boy thought. 'Off to Tomoeda.'  
  
He walked out of the airport with his bags and called a cab. He got in and said, "Tomoeda, please."  
  
The cab sped off and finally arrived at a place called Penguin Park. He got out and looked around. 'I'll just walk to my supposed-to-be apartment after I spend some time here,' the boy thought.  
  
~****Izumi & Tomoyo****~  
  
"Are you sure you want to stay here for a while?" Tomoyo asked with concern in her amethyst eyes.  
  
"I want to think for a while without anybody here," Izumi replied. "I'll meet you back at your house later."  
  
"Okay," Tomoyo said, walking out of the park.  
  
Izumi was laying down on a bench with her hands behind her head, thinking.  
  
"Everything always has to be so complicated," Izumi whispered to herself. She started singing 'Come Clean' by Hilary Duff.  
  
Let's go back Back to the beginning Back to when the earth, the sun, the stars all aligned  
  
'Cause perfect didn't feel so perfect Trying to fit a square into a circle Was no life I defy  
  
"You're a good singer," a voice said from the right of Izumi. She sat straight up and looked at the person who talked to her. It was a chestnut haired boy with amber orbs.  
  
"I don't need your compliments," Izumi replied and stood up, walking away from him.  
  
"I didn't mean to offend you or anything," the boy said, walking up to Izumi and staying at her speed. "I just think you'd be a great singer."  
  
Izumi stopped and turned toward him. Emerald orbs met amber as she looked at his eyes. Even though it was dark, she could still see them perfectly.  
  
Izumi quickly turned away and said, "Thanks, I guess."  
  
"My name is Tetsuya," the boys started. As soon as he said that, Izumi turned her head toward him and stared wide-eyed and then turned angry. Tetsuya saw this and immediately asked, "What's the matter?"  
  
"I can't believe you even came here!" Izumi yelled at Tetsuya and then turned her back toward him and crossed her arms. "After what you did, you came anyway?"  
  
"Izumi?" Tetsuya asked, astonished.  
  
"Who did you think it was?" Izumi yelled as she twirled around.  
  
"I had to come here to say that I was sorry!" Tetsuya yelled back.  
  
"You're sorry?" Izumi asked, lowering her voice.  
  
"Hai, gomen," Tetsuya said and bowed his head to make sure she knew he was sorry.  
  
Tetsuya looked up at Izumi and their eyes met again. Izumi quickly turned away, not wanting to show any weakness to Tetsuya.  
  
"I accept your apology," Izumi replied and smiled. Maybe she would start being her old self, tomorrow...  
  
A sudden shock hit Izumi and Tetsuya at the same time. They both felt it.  
  
"Let me out of here!" a voice shouted from Izumi's backpack. Tetsuya stepped back when he heard that. Izumi quickly took off her backpack and unzipped it. Kero came flying out of it like a rocket.  
  
"I thought you were asleep at Tomoyo's, Kero!" Izumi yelled as she looked angrily at Kero.  
  
"I went into your backpack when you guys left," Kero said. "I needed to come along in case a Clow Card showed up, which is happening right now! We have to find it!"  
  
"I didn't know stuffed animals could talk!" Tetsuya said menacingly. Kero just realized that he was there.  
  
"What did you call me, you gaki!?!?!" Kero shouted back.  
  
"You heard me!" Tetsuya shouted.  
  
"I am Ceroberus, Guardian Beast of the Seal, not someone's play toy!" Kero yelled at Tetsuya.  
  
"Hold everything, you are the Guardian Beast of the Seal?" Tetsuya asked. "For the Clow Cards?"  
  
"Yes, I am!" Kero shouted. "And you've already met my Mistress, Izumi Hinako."  
  
Izumi was standing behind Kero, looking VERY confused. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?" she asked.  
  
"I came here to capture the Clow Cards," Tetsuya announced.  
  
"Izumi is the rightful Cardcaptor! Not some stupid gaki!" Kero shouted at Tetsuya.  
  
"I am the only heir close enough to Syaoran Li to do this job!" Tetsuya screamed back.  
  
"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!" Izumi shouted at the top of her lungs. "The Clow Cards are both of our responsibilities. We'll work together to capture them, just like Kinomoto-san and Li-san did before us."  
  
"Work together?" Tetsuya asked.  
  
"Hai, because the cards will be better this time around," Izumi answered, "so we'll have to be ready!"  
  
"You've been spending way too much time around Tomoyo!" Kero said, sweatdropping.  
  
"Did I hear my name?" a voice shouted from feet away. An amethyst eyed girl came up to their group.  
  
"Tomoyo," Izumi said, sweatdropping, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"I heard you yelling and I had to see what the problem was and tape it!" Tomoyo said, shiny eyed.  
  
Everyone else sweatdropped. "Let's just get the Clow Card already!" Tetsuya said and pulled out his little green thingy (a/n: You know, to call upon his sword.) and turned it into a sword. Izumi got out her Key and stopped.  
  
"Uh-what's the incantation for my Key, Kero?" Izumi asked. Kero sweatdropped.  
  
"Repeat after me," Kero said and cleared his throat. "Oh, Key of Clow, power of magic, power of light, surrender the wand, the force ignite. Release!"  
  
"Okay," Izumi said and the held out the key in front of her,  
  
"Oh, Key of Clow,  
Power of magic, power of light,  
Surrender the wand,  
The force ignite.  
Release!"  
  
Izumi's Key turned into a wand with a bird-like head. She grabbed it and then turned to Kero. "Where is it?" Izumi asked him without the slightest clue.  
  
Tomoyo had out her camera and said, "Too bad I don't have a costume for you, Izumi!"  
  
"Uh-" Izumi started.  
  
"The card seems to be somewhere by that tree," Kero said, trying to focus, and pointing to a cherry blossom tree.  
  
"I absolutely love cherry blossom trees!" Izumi cried, shiny-eyed.  
  
Tomoyo giggled while Tetsuya and Kero sweatdropped. "Let's just go already," Tetsuya said.  
  
"Right," Izumi said, losing her shiny eyes and ready to fight.  
  
They ran over to the cherry blossom tree and had a look around. "There's nothing here," Tetsuya said.  
  
"How can you tell?" Izumi asked. "It's so dark..." Izumi trailed off and closed her eyes, trying to get rid of the darkness. She felt everyone's presence, Kero's was yellow, Tomoyo's was purple, and Tetsuya's was green, but there was one other. One that was white, pure white.  
  
'The Clow Card!' Izumi yelled in her head and opened her eyes to look at the spot where she sensed it. She held out her wand in front of her. "Clow Card, show us your true form! Release!" Izumi shouted with her wand pointed at the spot.  
  
There was a bright light and then a small rabbit-like creature with wings came into focus. It jumped up to the top of the tree and everyone looked up at it.  
  
"The Jump!" Kero cried as he saw it.  
  
"The Jump, huh?" Izumi asked. "Then we have to run it down?"  
  
"Yes," Kero answered, "and where did that saying come from?"  
  
"Uh-I felt the card's presence when I closed my eyes and just said it," Izumi replied. "Was it wrong?"  
  
"No, now how are we going to run that down?" Kero asked, pointing up to The Jump.  
  
"We'll surround it and then maybe we can capture it," Izumi suggested.  
  
"Right," Tetsuya agreed and then dropped his voice to a whisper. "Lead it over to the maple tree and I'll hit it."  
  
"Okay," Izumi whispered back and they all separated. Tetsuya ran over to get into position to hit The Jump. Tomoyo and Kero ran over to the bushes to take cover and so Tomoyo could film it all. Izumi ran right in front of the cherry blossom tree so The Jump could see her.  
  
"Jump!" Izumi yelled, getting Jump's attention. "I'm going to catch you if you don't catch me first!" Izumi yelled and started running towards the maple tree. Jump followed with huge jumps so that Izumi would have to run her hardest not to get caught.  
  
She was right around the bend and yelled, "NOW!"  
  
"Raiden Shorai!" Tetsuya called, sounding exactly like Syaoran. He conjured up a bolt of lightning and it had hit The Jump right on.  
  
"Clow Card, return to your power confined! JUMP!" Izumi yelled as she struck her wand in midair. A card was formed in front of it before it stopped glowing.  
  
The card flew over to Izumi and she caught it with her left hand. The card had the picture of the small rabbit-like creature on it with wings and underneath, it had the words, 'The Jump.'  
  
"I caught my first Clow Card!" Izumi yelled with joy as she raised the card over her head with joy. She started jumping around and yelling and screaming while Tomoyo, Kero, and Tetsuya sweatdropped.  
  
"I'm glad she forgot about Jonouchi," Tomoyo said in a whisper.  
  
"Who?" Tetsuya asked, turning towards Tomoyo.  
  
"Her brother, Jonouchi, was in a car accident tonight and is still in the hospital," Tomoyo said sadly. "She said that she wasn't going to open up to anyone ever again except for me and her father, but I guess she forgot about that too."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Tetsuya asked.  
  
"She did accept your apology, right?" Tomoyo asked. "That sounds like opening up, doesn't it?"  
  
Tetsuya blushed. "I guess that qualifies," he replied.  
  
"You can't hide behind your computer anymore," Tomoyo said. "I can see it when you blush and I can see Izumi, in all her sweetness. She is just so much like Sakura."  
  
Izumi was still prancing around the park like she'd just won the lottery and was still holding onto The Jump Card with her left hand.  
  
"Sakura didn't prance around when she caught her first card," Kero stated, "but I have to admit, it is funny to watch." Kero started laughing and then got Tetsuya and Tomoyo laughing which made Izumi stop prancing.  
  
She walked over to the others. "What's so funny?" Izumi asked, confused.  
  
"Nothing at all, Izumi," Tomoyo said. "Now, let's go back to my house and figure out how I'm going to do your hair for the first day of school!" She had her shiny eyes in place.  
  
Izumi sweatdropped and replied, "Okay." She turned to Tetsuya. "We'll see you tomorrow at school."  
  
"Right," Tetsuya replied. Tomoyo put her camera up to her eye, waiting. Izumi took Tomoyo's arm and dragged her to the front gate of the park.  
  
"Oyasumi Tetsuya!" Izumi yelled as she stopped at the gate.  
  
"Oyasumi!" Tetsuya yelled back just as Izumi and Tomoyo disappeared into the darkness.  
  
'Good thing I did walk in the park,' Tetsuya thought.  
  
Tetsuya gathered his things and walked out of the park and into the night.  
  
~****Next Day, Tomoyo's Room****~  
  
"WAKE UP, IZUMI!" an amethyst eyed girl yelled as she shook her friend to get her up for her first day at Tomoeda Elementary.  
  
An emerald eyed girl sat up in bed when her friend seized shaking her. "Gomen nasai!" Izumi said to her amethyst eyed friend.  
  
"That's all right!" Tomoyo replied. "Now go get dressed and comb your hair!" Tomoyo threw Izumi's uniform at her and pointed to the bathroom.  
  
Izumi got up and walked into the bathroom. She took off the pajamas she borrowed from Tomoyo and put on her uniform. The blue skirt fit her perfectly and so did the blue top with the white bow.  
  
She picked up a comb and brushed out her short auburn hair. She set the comb down when she was done and looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
Izumi loved her hair and the way it looked bordering her face and her emerald eyes that made anyone blush. 'Except for one person,' Izumi thought. 'Tetsuya didn't blush when he saw my emerald eyes or maybe I just didn't see it. I think that's it. It was so dark out there last night that I couldn't see him blush.'  
  
"Are you done yet, Izumi?" Tomoyo yelled from her bedroom. "I would like to get your hair done before school starts!"  
  
Izumi opened the door and saw Tomoyo sitting on the floor, waiting for her.  
  
"About time!" Kero yelled. "Tomoyo had to get me breakfast because you are so slow at waking up!"  
  
"Gomen nasai, Kero," Izumi replied as she walked over to the bed, picked up her socks laying there, and sat down in front of Tomoyo so she could do her hair.  
  
Tomoyo had a brush and started brushing Izumi's hair. She put two blue ribbons in her hair with two little ponytails.  
  
"You know I could've done that," Izumi said, putting on her socks.  
  
"But me doing it makes it special!" Tomoyo said, shiny eyed.  
  
Izumi sweatdropped. "Uh-let's just get to school," she said.  
  
"Yes, and we're not late today because of me waking you up!" Tomoyo said as she stood up.  
  
Izumi stood up also and grabbed her backpack. Tomoyo walked out the door and down the steps with Izumi right behind her. They walked outside after getting their shoes on and started their walk to school.  
  
"I can't wait till we get there!" Izumi shouted, gleefully.  
  
"Well, you're happy today!" Tomoyo replied, smiling at Izumi.  
  
"Of course!" Izumi replied. "I caught my first Clow Card and made up with Tetsuya! What could be better?"  
  
"Nothing, I suppose," Tomoyo said, smiling even wider.  
  
"Hey Tomoyo!" a voice yelled from behind Izumi and Tomoyo.  
  
They both turned around. "Hey Chiharu-chan, where's Yamazaki-kun?" Tomoyo asked, looking around.  
  
"He already went to school and didn't wait for me," Chiharu replied and sighed. She turned to Izumi. "So who are you?"  
  
"I'm Izumi Hinako," Izumi said.  
  
"I'm Chiharu Mihara," Chiharu replied. She had two long ponytails in her golden brown hair.  
  
"Chiharu is the girlfriend of Takashi Yamazaki," Tomoyo explained. "You can meet him when we get to school."  
  
"Sounds great!" Izumi replied.  
  
The three girls walked on, so they would get to school on time. They soon came to the school, surrounded by trees of all sorts. It was beautiful!  
  
Tomoyo, Izumi, and Chiharu ran inside to catch the bell before they were late. They ran up the steps and into their classroom right before the bell rung.  
  
Izumi walked up to the teacher, and said, "I'm new here. My name is Izumi Hinako." Izumi was still panting from the run.  
  
The teacher had hip-length auburn hair and hazel-nut eyes that went perfectly with her hair. She was wearing what looked like a large school uniform except the skirt didn't have ruffles and the top didn't have a bow but instead was a tie.  
  
"Hello Miss Hinako and welcome to Tomoeda Elementary," the teacher said kindly. "I'm Miss Perna and I will be your reading teacher for the year. You can have a seat beside Miss Daidouji." Miss Perna pointed to Tomoyo who smiled wide.  
  
Izumi walked over to her seat and sat down. Miss Perna stood up from her desk and walked to the front of the class.  
  
"Class we have two new students coming today, but I'm afraid only one is here right now," Miss Perna explained. "The other one will be here momentarily. Now then, how about you introduce yourself, Miss Hinako?"  
  
Izumi stood up and walked to the front of the class. "My name is Izumi Hinako. I just moved here from Tokyo. It's nice to meet you all," Izumi said politely and bowed. She didn't really know what to say so she said it all slowly and hesitantly. She was super nervous, but she didn't let it show.  
  
"Arigatou, Miss Hinako," Miss Perna said when Izumi was finished. "You may sit down."  
  
Izumi walked back to her seat and the minute she sat down, the door opened. A boy with chestnut brown hair and amber eyes stood there confidently.  
  
'How can he be so confident when I'm so shy?' Izumi wondered.  
  
"You must be Tetsuya Li," Miss Perna said. "Welcome to Tomoeda! My name is Miss Perna. Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?"  
  
Tetsuya started walking, took a quick glance and smile at Izumi, making her turn beat red, and stopped in front of the class.  
  
"I'm Tetsuya Li," Tetsuya said calmly. "I moved here from China yesterday, but I know I'll like it here more." He said the last bit as he smirked at Izumi, making her turn redder, if that is possible. She quickly moved her eyes down to her desk, making it seem so interesting.  
  
"Okay, Mr. Li," Miss Perna said, "you make take your seat which will be behind Miss Hinako." And if it was possible, Miss Perna just made Izumi turn even redder. "Miss Hinako, will you please raise your hand?"  
  
Izumi slowly put her hand up still looking down, but didn't know why Tetsuya didn't just tell the teacher that he knew her. 'He just wants me to suffer,' Izumi thought in her head.  
  
Tetsuya walked over to his desk, still smirking and sat down. Tomoyo followed him with her eyes and then saw Izumi blushing and smiled wide.  
  
The ruby eyed girl with two long black ponytails behind Tomoyo looked very confused at Tomoyo. She looked over at Izumi and saw her blushing. Then she looked over at Tetsuya who was sitting beside her who was smirking.  
  
'I'm VERY confused right now,' Meiling thought in her head. Then an idea hit her. She got a piece of paper from her notebook and started writing something.  
  
Izumi continued looking down, even when the teacher started talking. She started fiddling with her hands, but was still as red as a tomato.  
  
Tetsuya was very proud of himself, having embarrassed Izumi in front of the class. Well, he had least made her turn bright red. He leaned back on his chair with his hands behind his head.  
  
Meiling had finished writing her note and passed it up to Tomoyo. Tomoyo quickly opened it up and read it:  
  
What is going on, Tomoyo? Why is Tetsuya here? He is my cousin after all. And why is Izumi blushing? What happened last night?  
  
Meiling  
  
Tomoyo finished reading it and quickly wrote back:  
  
Meiling, Tetsuya is here to capture the Clow Cards. Izumi is the new Card Mistress. Last night, they captured The Jump Card. Now, are you going to be all over Tetsuya like you were with Li-kun?  
  
Tomoyo  
  
Then, Tomoyo speedily slipped the note onto Meiling's desk. She quickly read it and replied:  
  
No, Syaoran was the only one for me. Tetsuya isn't mine, I know that. So Izumi is the new Card Mistress? Wow, how awesome!  
  
Meiling  
  
Then, Meiling quickly passed the note to Tomoyo who read it, but decided not to reply because the teacher was calling on people to read where she left off at so you had to pay attention. The class was reading Flipped By: Wendelin Van Draanen.  
  
Izumi was following along with the reading when she noticed a note lying on her desk. She picked it up and opened it:  
  
So, Izumi, guess we're in the same class, huh? Who would've thought? And Tomoyo and Meiling too. Oh, btw Meiling is my cousin, the one sitting behind Tomoyo with the ruby eyes. She had a crush on Syaoran, but he hated her. It was a bad relationship...  
  
Tetsuya  
  
Izumi finished reading it and was about to write back when Miss Perna said, "Miss Hinako, please read from where I left off!"  
  
Izumi froze, she knew if she didn't start in the right place that she could get detention for not paying attention, but she didn't know where the class had stopped.  
  
Izumi looked at the book and saw the place she had stopped when Tetsuya had given her the note. So if she could just calculate how fast Miss Perna reads-  
  
"Miss Hinako, we're waiting," Miss Perna said impatiently.  
  
"O-okay," Izumi replied and picked the beginning of a paragraph and started reading. "A few minutes later I saw Bryce coming down the sidewalk toward his house..." No one said anything until she had finished the page.  
  
"Good," Miss Perna replied, clearly disappointed at not catching Izumi not paying attention. "Miss Daidouji, please continue from where Miss Hinako left off."  
  
Izumi sighed and thanked God she didn't mess up. That was probably the most embarrassing moment she has ever had! I mean risking detention for a note! Was she out of her mind?  
  
Tetsuya saw what happened and only widened his smirk. 'This is way too much fun!' he thought as he followed along with the class in Flipped.  
  
~****Lunchtime****~  
  
"Oh good God!" Izumi yelled when she got out of reading class. "I thought I was going to die in there!" She pointed to the door of the class. She was breathing hard and people were staring at her.  
  
"It's lunchtime," Tomoyo said, trying to calm Izumi down. "Maybe eating will take your mind off reading class."  
  
"Boy, I hope so," Izumi said as her and Tomoyo walked into the lunch line and waited for their lunches.  
  
Izumi started walking forward when the line was moving, but accidentally bumped into someone because she wasn't paying attention.  
  
"Gomen nasai," Izumi said quickly without looking up.  
  
"Well, I've never seen a beauty like you here before," a male's voice sounded from in front of Izumi.  
  
Izumi looked up and met dreamy blue eyes. The boy had chocolate brown hair. 'He's like a mix of Kei and Tetsuya,' Izumi thought as she looked at him. 'I wonder if he's bad or good?'  
  
"I'm Chris Hall, but you can call me Chris," the boy said, putting out his hand.  
  
"I'm Izumi Hinako, but you can call me Izumi," Izumi replied, shaking his hand and smiling with her eyes closed.  
  
'It's my eyes,' Izumi thought. 'Every guy I've went out with only liked me for my piercing emerald eyes. Why did I have to have these things?' She opened her eyes again when she stopped smiling.  
  
"Kawaii!" Tomoyo yelled, interrupting Izumi's thoughts.  
  
"Tomoyo," Izumi said menacingly and then changed her mood to cheerful. "This is my friend, Tomoyo Daidouji."  
  
Tomoyo and Chris shook hands. "So where did you move here from?" Chris asked Izumi as the line moved up.  
  
"I used to live in Tokyo," Izumi answered as she looked around the courtyard where the school always had lunch. Soon, she spotted Tetsuya eating with a boy with blue spiked hair.  
  
"That's Yamazaki eating lunch with Tetsuya," Tomoyo said when she saw Izumi looking over that way.  
  
"Oh, so that's Yamazaki!" Izumi replied. "And there goes Chiharu." Chiharu was walking over to Yamazaki. "She looks like she's going to kill him!"  
  
"Don't worry!" Tomoyo replied. "That's how she always looks at him!"  
  
Izumi let out a sigh and turned to Chris, but he was gone. "Where'd Chris go?" Izumi asked Tomoyo, looking confused.  
  
"Maybe he went to get something," Tomoyo replied and smiled. "I'm sure he'll be back. He has a thing for you."  
  
"He does not have a thing for me," Izumi replied. They both got their lunches which consisted of popcorn chicken, French fries, brownies, and chocolate milk.  
  
They walked out onto the courtyard and headed towards the table Tetsuya and Yamazaki were sitting at. Izumi sat next to Tetsuya while Tomoyo sat across from her and beside Yamazaki. On the other side of Yamazaki was Chiharu. Next to Chiharu was a girl with short brown hair and glasses. Next to Tetsuya, on the other side, was a girl with lighter brown hair that sort of curled or waved.  
  
"Izumi, this is Rika Sazaki," Tomoyo said as she pointed to the girl sitting next to Tetsuya, "and Naoko Yanagisawa." Tomoyo pointed to the girl sitting beside Chiharu. "They're in our morning class, too."  
  
"And this is Yamazaki," Chiharu stated, nudging the blue haired boy beside her, "my boyfriend."  
  
"Did you know that the word boyfriend comes from-" Yamazaki started.  
  
"Stop right there!" Chiharu interrupted. "He gets into boring explanations about everything. Sometimes you just have to ignore him."  
  
Izumi giggled. "Well, it's nice to meet all of you," Izumi said with a smile.  
  
"Wow, you're right Tomoyo," a voice said from the side of the table beside Izumi. They all turned to face a ruby eyed girl with long raven hair. "She really does look like Sakura-chan."  
  
"Izumi, this is Meiling Li," Tomoyo stated, "Tetsuya-kun's cousin."  
  
"Whom didn't know about all of this business with 'the cards!'" Meiling shouted.  
  
"'The cards?'" Chiharu, Naoko, Rika, and Yamazaki asked together.  
  
"Uh-will you please excuse us for a moment please?" Izumi asked as she stood up. Her and Tetsuya dragged Meiling over to the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard with Tomoyo right behind them.  
  
"Meiling!" Tomoyo whispered loudly. "You can't say anything about 'the cards' to them!"  
  
"Gomen," Meiling said as she put her head down in shame. "I didn't mean to."  
  
"So, Meiling knows about 'the cards?'" Izumi asked, confused by all this.  
  
"Hai, she was the cousin of Syaoran Li too," Tomoyo stated. "So she came here wanting to help him but couldn't because she didn't have any magic. She was forced to watch as Li-kun and Sakura-chan fought the battles."  
  
"And you should've called me last night!" Meiling almost shouted.  
  
"It was Izumi's first capture," Tetsuya said. "And we didn't know where to contact you."  
  
"She did!" Meiling practically screamed as she pointed to Tomoyo.  
  
"I'm sorry!" Tomoyo said and bowed her head. "I'll call you next time."  
  
"You better," Meiling stated and turned to Izumi. "I really can't believe it, but the team is back together again! This is so radical!"  
  
"Of course!" Tomoyo agreed, shiny eyed. "More outfits for me to make!"  
  
Tetsuya and Izumi sweatdropped. "Uh-Do you know what to say to that?" Izumi asked Tetsuya.  
  
"I can't say I do," Tetsuya replied. Izumi and Tetsuya started laughing hysterically about nothing in particular. Tomoyo and Meiling looked at them, confused.  
  
"Why are they laughing?" Tomoyo asked Meiling.  
  
"That's easy," Meiling stated, "I don't know!"  
  
Tomoyo fell over anime style! "Meiling!" Tomoyo yelled as Meiling started laughing just when Tetsuya and Izumi stopped laughing.  
  
"What's with her?" Izumi asked, confused.  
  
"It's a LONG story," Tomoyo said as she lead Izumi and Tetsuya back to their table.  
  
Meiling stopped laughing and looked around. "Guys? Guys?" Meiling asked. She turned angry and walked over to the table.  
  
"GUYS!" Meiling said menacingly when she got to the table.  
  
"It's okay, Meiling," Tomoyo said.  
  
"Yea," Izumi added, "we're sorry."  
  
"That's okay, guys," Meiling replied with joy in her face.  
  
"Well, now that that's settled, how about we talk about our new project for Social Studies?" Chiharu asked.  
  
"Huh?" Izumi asked.  
  
"In Social Studies today, we will be-uh-married to a guy in class and we get jobs," Tomoyo explained. "We'll be working on it for 8 months and the we have to give a report on the difficulties we had throughout our marriage."  
  
"How many difficulties can a couple have at ten years old?" Tetsuya asked sarcastically.  
  
"The teacher will make us pick difficulties from a hat," Rika explained. "We could win the lottery or lose money in the stock market. You see, today, we all get $1,000 for starting money and our job has money, too, so we get that everyday also."  
  
"Exactly!" Tomoyo said cheerfully. "And every week you have to buy groceries. We also get grades for the things we did on Fridays."  
  
"So, we have to-uh-practice for our marriage later in life?" Izumi asked.  
  
"Yes, that's exactly what Mr. Kreminess said," Naoko replied, "practice for marriage."  
  
"That's stupid," Tetsuya said, "like we're going to get married at ten years old."  
  
"Mr. Kreminess is an odd teacher, I guess," Yamazaki replied. "And another thing is that you have to spend at least 4 hours a week with your 'husband/wife.' It's really the only assignment this year, really, which is a good thing."  
  
"You guys did this yesterday?" Izumi asked.  
  
"Well, Mr. Kreminess explained it yesterday, but today we're getting our partners, jobs, and our first problem to solve," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"Okay-" Izumi replied just before the bell rang. They all got up and Tomoyo lead the way to Social Studies class. She walked in with a smile, followed by Izumi with another smile, and then came the others, all with huge frowns on.  
  
The bell starting class rang so everyone got seated. In this class, Izumi was behind Tomoyo and to the right of Tetsuya. In front of him was Yamazaki and then Chiharu sat to the left of him. Meiling sat on the other side of Tomoyo and no one sat behind her.  
  
They were all in the back on the classroom. Rika and Naoko sat in the front of the room along with Chris.  
  
'I didn't know he was in this class!' Izumi thought. 'That's cool. Maybe I'll be with him for our project.'  
  
"Okay, class," Mr. Kreminess said. He was tall, about 6 ft, with black hair and jade eyes. He was wearing a blue suit that matched the uniforms the students had to wear. "Today we're going to see who will be marrying who! You will also get jobs and your first problems to solve."  
  
Izumi wasn't listening to the teacher one bit. Instead she was focusing on Chris and how it would be being partnered with him. She was kind of using the "love" stare which of course, Tetsuya saw.  
  
He looked where Izumi was staring and saw Chris. 'How can she like him?' Tetsuya thought. 'He's such a wannabe. At least that's what Yamazaki told me at lunch.'  
  
"Now we will pick the pairs," Mr. Kreminess said, interrupting Tetsuya's thoughts. "I have two boxes here. One has all of the boys names in it and the other has all the girls names. I will pick one from each and those two will be partnered together. They will then pick from the job jar. Any questions?"  
  
Not a hand in the room rose. Half the class was excited about being married, (hence the girls) and half the class was terrified, (hence the boys.)  
  
"First up," Mr. Kreminess said as he put his hand in the girls' box, "Rika Sazaki, and," he stuck his hand in the boys' box, "Justin Hempfield." They both walked up to the front of the room.  
  
Rika made the most disgusted face in the world. And everyone knew why, Justin was the ugliest boy in the class. Izumi saw when he had walked up. She was super glad that she wasn't stuck with him.  
  
Rika stuck her hand in the job jar and pulled one out. "Assistant manager for the Mighty Ducks?" Rika asked, confused. "They're a hockey team, right?" She looked toward Mr. Kreminess who sweatdropped.  
  
"Yes, they're a hockey team," Mr. Kreminess replied.  
  
Justin put his hand in the job jar and pulled his out. "Gymnastics Instructor?" Justin asked, like he got the worst job in the world.  
  
Izumi gave a giggle, but quickly covered it with a cough. "Well, okay then," Mr. Kreminess said. "Will you two please sit down so we can pick the next two people?"  
  
"Sorry," Rika and Justin said at the same time and then quietly took their seats.  
  
"Now, let's see who's next for the girls," Mr. Kreminess said and reached his hand in the girls box and pulled one out. Izumi had her fingers crossed that she wouldn't get picked anytime soon.  
  
"Tomoyo Daidouji," Mr. Kreminess said and reached his hand in the boys box while Tomoyo walked up to the front of the room. Izumi let out a huge sigh and uncrossed her fingers. "And Chris Hall."  
  
Chris walked up to the front of the room too. Izumi sighed and put her chin in her hand with her elbow on her desk. 'I guess it was never meant to be,' Izumi thought. She didn't even notice that Chris got garbage man for a job and Tomoyo got owner of KiNkS Industry, a huge company that owns most of the town.  
  
The next few people got picked, which Izumi didn't notice either, but when she looked to the front of the room, Chiharu and Yamazaki were paired together and were picking their jobs.  
  
"Right," Mr. Kreminess said, "now we'll need," Mr. Kreminess stuck his hand in the girls' box after Chiharu and Yamazaki had their jobs, "Izumi Hinako, our new student."  
  
Izumi needed a shove from Tomoyo to notice that her name was called. She walked up to the front of the room and looked around at the class. Some of the boys looked really mad, but others were crossing their fingers tightly.  
  
'None of them want to have me as a partner,' Izumi figured in her head. Then she noticed Tetsuya. He was just sitting back on his chair and looked really comfortable. He was looking out the window and didn't really notice that Izumi was at the front of the room.  
  
"And the boy paired with Izumi is," Mr. Kreminess said as he stuck his hand in the boys' box, "Tetsuya Li, our other new student."  
  
Tetsuya heard his name called and quickly put his chair down. He looked up at the front of the room and saw Izumi standing there watching him with a smile on her face. He blushed as he stood up and walked to the front of the room.  
  
Izumi picked her job first and looked at the slip. Her face lit up as she read out loud, "Horse instructor/trainer!" She was super happy that her smile reached her ears almost.  
  
Tetsuya stuck his hand in and pulled out executive officer for KiNkS Industry. He worked for Tomoyo.  
  
Tetsuya and Izumi sat down and the next two people were called. It continued like that for the rest of the class. Everyone got paired up with someone.  
  
The bell rang, signifying that class was over. Tomoyo ran over to Izumi. "I'm sorry for taking Chris, Izumi!" she said with panic in her voice.  
  
"It's okay," Izumi replied with a smile. "I'm with Tetsuya so it's fine with me."  
  
"You like Tetsuya?" Tomoyo said really loud. Izumi quickly covered her mouth before she could say anymore.  
  
Izumi slowly took her hand off Tomoyo's mouth and said, "I don't like Tetsuya in that kind of way! I'm glad I got him because he's someone I could work well with."  
  
"Oh, okay," Tomoyo said sneakily, "I understand."  
  
"Sure you do," Izumi replied.  
  
"Oh come on!" Tomoyo said, a little angry. "Let's just drop it. So, what are you and Tetsuya doing for your four hours this week?"  
  
"Since we have to write down what we do, we can't include captures, so, I don't know," Izumi answered, "but we'll think of something. We always do!"  
  
"Everyone is jealous of you," Tomoyo giggled as they walked by a group of girls glaring at Izumi, "because you're partnered with Tetsuya who in fact, got VERY popular with the girls in one day."  
  
"I don't see why they are," Izumi said, being dense again. "Tetsuya and I are just friends and besides, he is not in any possible way, cute." She shuddered at the thought.  
  
"Okay, I get it, jeez," Tomoyo replied and they both started laughing. Every girl in the hallway glared at Izumi as they went past.  
  
"Uh-Tomoyo," Izumi whispered quietly, looking at the glaring girls, "I can see why you think that."  
  
"Just ignore them," Tomoyo replied to the scared Izumi. Tomoyo stuck her tongue out at the next group of glaring girls.  
  
Izumi stopped at a sign on the door leading outside. It said, 'Cheerleading Tryouts Thursday after school.'  
  
'Today's Thursday,' Izumi thought.  
  
"Hey Tomoyo," Izumi said, "where are the Cheerleading tryouts held?"  
  
"Outside on the soccer field," Tomoyo answered, "why?"  
  
"I just wanted to try," Izumi said.  
  
"If you try, then I will too!" Tomoyo cheered and dragged Izumi over to the soccer field. They sat down on the grass along with about twenty other girls wanting to tryout.  
  
The old captain of the cheerleading squad spoke first, "Today, we are accepting five new girls to the squad. Then we'll decide the captain," the old captain said. She didn't have a cheerleading uniform on like everyone else did. Instead she wore her junior high school uniform since she was now too old to be captain. She had long blonde hair and deep aquamarine eyes.  
  
"My name, by the way, is Maggie Lawrence," the old captain said cheerfully.  
  
Izumi then saw about twenty boys come out of the boys' locker room. The were all wearing soccer uniforms and carrying soccer balls.  
  
"Is this squad for the soccer team?" Izumi asked Tomoyo in a whisper.  
  
"Yea, we don't have a football team," Tomoyo answered in another whisper. "Soccer is the only thing we've got."  
  
Maggie continued on, explaining how to do the move she the team was testing the girls on. Half of the girls got up and left halfway through the explanation, because they knew they couldn't do the move.  
  
"All right," Maggie said, "I'll write down each of your names as you come up and demonstrate the move."  
  
Izumi glanced over at the soccer team. She suddenly saw Tetsuya. 'He must have gotten on the team when they had tryouts a few minutes ago,' Izumi thought. She also noticed that all the soccer players were watching the girls as they did the move.  
  
"They always watch the cheerleaders," Tomoyo explained in a whisper. "It's so the girls show that they can live up to pressure."  
  
"I understand," Izumi replied in another whisper.  
  
"You," Maggie said, pointing to Izumi, "name?"  
  
"Izumi Hinako," Izumi said, standing up.  
  
"Go ahead and do the move," Maggie said. "The fancier, the better."  
  
Izumi had seen almost all of the girls fail at the move and was a bit nervous, but as soon as she got up in front of everyone, she rocketed. It was like she was a cherry blossom blooming for the first time.  
  
She did and round-off back hand spring and then finished with a very nice flip that was landed perfectly.  
  
All of the girls cheered, the soccer team just stared in awe, even Tetsuya was speechless, and Maggie wrote something down on her notepad and then said, "Nice work," and called Tomoyo up.  
  
Tomoyo did the same exact thing, except without as much grace. She was still better than a lot of the others though.  
  
"Our new members will be Kira Marie Lightly, Ashley Jakabovic, Lily Jumpluff, Tomoyo Daidouji, and Izumi Hinako," Maggie announced.  
  
All the girls that just got picked jumped up from their spots and started jumping up and down, celebrating. The boys on the soccer team all cheered for them.  
  
"Now since that's over, we can pick our captain," Maggie said. "It is tradition to pick a young captain out of our new arrivals when the old one is gone, so one of you five ladies is going to be the team's new captain!"  
  
Izumi knew that the team was going to decide, but how, she didn't know.  
  
"Tradition is that the soccer team gets to decide and if there is a tie, the old captain picks one," Maggie explained. She gave the boys a basket of paper and some pencils. All of them quickly wrote who they liked the most, preferably the "hottest" as you might call it and put in back in the basket.  
  
Maggie took the basket and said, "I'm going inside to count these, so everyone behave and talk amongst yourselves."  
  
Maggie left, swinging her hips as she went. She was one of those diluted guy lovers of junior high.  
  
"I'll bet any money that you're captain, Izumi," Tomoyo stated. "You've got the right stuff to be."  
  
"Kira is going to win," Izumi said flatly.  
  
"Why is that? She wasn't even very good!" Tomoyo argued.  
  
Izumi pointed to the guys and Kira flirting with most of them. Tomoyo replied with, "I guess you're right, but you deserve it more."  
  
Izumi didn't reply to that. She just wanted to think for a while. 'Whenever I'm in front of the crowd, I just explode with happiness,' Izumi thought. 'Is this where I belong?'  
  
"Hey guys," a voice said behind Tomoyo and Izumi.  
  
Izumi turned around, looked up, and met amber eyes.  
  
"Hey Tetsuya," Izumi replied and looked down again. Tetsuya sat down in front of her with Tomoyo beside both of them, in an almost complete circle.  
  
"What's the matter with her?" Tetsuya asked Tomoyo.  
  
"Her," Tomoyo answered, pointing to Kira, now flirting with Yamazaki which made Chiharu go over there and drag him away. She was here to watch Izumi and Tomoyo tryout.  
  
"You guys think that she'll win?" Tetsuya asked, surprised.  
  
"Just look at her," Tomoyo replied.  
  
Tetsuya saw her flirting with every single boy on the soccer team and knew she was up to no good.  
  
"She's not going to win," Tetsuya said.  
  
"What makes you so sure?" Izumi asked with the saddest face ever on her face.  
  
"Well-" Tetsuya started, but was interrupted by Maggie coming back.  
  
"Everyone!" Maggie yelled, getting everyone attention. "We have a new Cheerleading Captain!"  
  
Everyone was hanging on Maggie's every word and Kira was about to jump from her seat because she knew she was going to win.  
  
"And the new captain is..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
a/n: Another cliffhanger...uh oh! Don't hurt me b/c of it!!!!!!!! AAHHHHHH!!!!!!! 


	4. A Capture, A Campout, And A Strange IM

Another Chance  
  
By: Snow Horse  
  
I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. *sighs* But I do own this computer!!!!!!! *grabs computer* MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?  
  
Key: "talking"  
  
'thinking'  
  
~****scene change****~  
  
(a/n: author's note)  
  
Recap.  
  
Everyone was hanging on Maggie's every word and Kira was about to jump from her seat because she knew she was going to win.  
  
"And the new captain is..."  
  
a/n: This is going to be a long chapter, so I'm warning you ahead of time! I wasn't even half done w/ over 6,000 words in it. I type too much...  
  
Chapter 3  
  
A Capture, A Campout, And A Strange IM  
  
"And the new captain is IZUMI HINAKO!" Maggie yelled.  
  
It took a few seconds for everything to sink in for Izumi, but when it finally did, a smile curled up on her face. It got wider and wider till she stood up and screamed, "YES!"  
  
She would've pranced around like she did last night, but this was public, people! Instead, she jumped up and down with Tomoyo while everyone else cheered for her and Tetsuya stood up too, smiling.  
  
"I demand a RECOUNT!" Kira yelled as she stood up and walked over to Maggie. Her blue eyes had fire in them and her long black hair was a huge mess, because she was sweating so hard.  
  
"No recounts, this is final," Maggie said and Izumi smiled wider, if that was possible.  
  
~****Izumi's House****~  
  
Izumi had just come home from Cheerleading Tryouts and had told her father all about it. Happily, she noticed that Jonouchi came home from the hospital today because he was sitting in the living room. He had woken up yesterday night. She wanted to go online and update her website, so she ran up to her room and turned on her laptop.  
  
She logged onto the internet and went onto her website. It was a forum and you could post anything you wanted on it. She only had two other members, Lovinlife and Surfinsites. She always had to laugh at their names, Ron's Surfinsites and Mika's Lovinlife.  
  
She went to the song/poem section of her forum and typed something she had learned:  
  
Everything is always so complicated Why is it always that way? People think life is so easy But they never lived it right  
  
I used to think that too Life is so easy, why do we exist? I never thought about after What will happen then?  
  
I know now that only one can understand Only one can help That one person, my soul mate Will always be there  
  
But where is he now? When I need his help? Where is he whenever I'm confused? Or downright dense?  
  
Why do I have to live my life Trying to find that one special person Who will understand me? No one understands...  
  
Izumi finished typing the song and thought about it. She looked at all of her other songs and couldn't believe that she wrote them. She was just about to get off when Tetsuya IMed her.  
  
Karatekid: hey Izumi!  
  
Wildfire: hi Tetsuya  
  
Karatekid: u r'nt hyper today  
  
Wildfire: I've been thinking a little 2 much  
  
Karatekid: wut's wrong?  
  
Wildfire: nothing that I can think of right now...  
  
Karatekid: something MUST be bothering u  
  
Wildfire: fine, it's my life  
  
Karatekid: huh?  
  
Wildfire: I mean, y does everything bad have to happen to me? everything always does. And yet, I'm still happy. Y?  
  
Karatekid: u have to put the things that happened in the past in the past...u know wut I mean?  
  
Wildfire: no  
  
Karatekid: the past can't be changed so u have to live w/ it.....everything happens for a reason, good or bad? no one knows...  
  
Wildfire: arigatou Tetsuya  
  
Karatekid: no prob!  
  
Wildfire: ^_^  
  
Karatekid: ~_^  
  
Wildfire: y r u winking?  
  
Karatekid: cuz we have a lot of fun stuff to do this week!  
  
Wildfire: oh God.....  
  
Karatekid: wut do u want to do to get 4 hours in this week?  
  
Wildfire: how about we go to the park? roller skating?  
  
Karatekid: roller skating???? uh-I don't know how to...  
  
Wildfire: O.O you don't know how?  
  
Wildfire: don't worry, I'll teach u! ^_^  
  
Karatekid: really? thanks!  
  
Wildfire: no prob! now when?  
  
Karatekid: how bout 2morrow? after school?  
  
Wildfire: perfect! no cheerleading practice OR soccer practice! ^_^  
  
Karatekid: -_-' that's kinda y I asked...  
  
Wildfire: ^o^  
  
Karatekid: that looks like some sort of animal  
  
Wildfire: I think it looks like our reading teacher, Miss Pearna  
  
Karatekid: it's Perna  
  
Wildfire: i no  
  
Karatekid: o  
  
Wildfire: so, wut r u up to?  
  
Karatekid: uh-writing  
  
Wildfire: writing wut?  
  
Karatekid: a story  
  
Wildfire: can i read it? I love stories!  
  
Karatekid: i'll give it to u 2morrow at school cuz I gtg now  
  
Wildfire: ok, ja ne!  
  
Karatekid: ja  
  
Karatekid signed off at 7:28pm.  
  
Izumi logged off her screen name because she was getting bored being on the internet. So Tetsuya was writing a story. 'I wonder if I'm in it,' Izumi wondered.  
  
'Stories are a girl's best friend!' Izumi thought and decided to put that on her website. She logged on and heard the computer voice say, "You've got mail!"  
  
"Mail?" Izumi questioned. She clicked on the mail icon and saw she had two new messages.  
  
She opened the first one from Lovinlife first:  
  
Hey Izumi! How r u doing at ur new school? Everyone here misses u. Did u know that Kei has missed like everyday of school since u left. Well, ok, he only missed yesterday, but that's odd for him. Tell me how u r doing w/ Karatekid!  
  
~Mika~  
  
Izumi laughed at the thought of Kei. He is still mad at Izumi for getting reinforcements. She replied to Mika as fast as she could:  
  
Hey Mika! Karatekid's name is Tetsuya Li. He goes to my new school now. It's kind of a long story. Anyway, in school, we have this social studies project where we have to get married. It's funny somewhat. I have to be married to Tetsuya, which isn't that bad, actually, but no, I do not like him as more than just a friend. I hope Ron is doing all right! ~_^  
  
~Izumi~  
  
Izumi sent her e-mail and opened the other e-mail from Karatekid. 'I just talked to him, though,' Izumi thought.  
  
I forgot to tell you something, Izumi. Uh-well-ok, I just wanted for you to promise me that you'll never fight a Clow Card alone. Promise?  
  
Tetsuya  
  
'He just wants to protect me,' Izumi thought. 'How sweet!' Izumi pressed the reply button on the screen.  
  
Don't worry, Tetsuya. After catching Jump, I think I could go up against any Clow Card. Besides, I'm not going out there without you, Tomoyo, and/or Kero, so you don't have to be so overprotective. Never underestimate the power of a girl on a mission! Especially, a strong magically powered one! ~_^  
  
~Izumi~  
  
Izumi sent this and then looked at the clock, 8:03pm. She decided to take a shower and then watch some TV. She got in and out of the shower in about 20 minutes, leaving enough time to find something to watch on TV. She ran downstairs in her pink tank top and pink lounge pants with ducks on them to find Jonouchi watching the TV. He looked normal so she didn't give him any sympathy.  
  
"Move over!" Izumi shouted at her brother and then squished on the couch beside him. Up close, she saw the cuts on his face, arms, and of course, he had a cast on his leg.  
  
"You're not going to like this movie, squirt," Jonouchi said seriously. "It's The Ring."  
  
"The Ring?" Izumi questioned. "It can't be that scary, can it?"  
  
"Suit yourself," Jonouchi replied and continued watching the movie.  
  
They were at the part where the main character watched the movie for the first time. Right after it was finished, their phone rang, which made Izumi jump and grab onto Jonouchi's arm.  
  
"Told you," Jonouchi said, smirking. "Now, to conquer your fear, answer the phone."  
  
Izumi gulped and slowly got up. She walked over to the phone and picked it up very slowly.  
  
"You have seven days," said the creepy voice on the other end. It sounded just like Samara from the movie.  
  
Izumi screamed so loud and dropped the phone. She ran up to her room.  
  
Jonouchi limped over with his crutches and picked up the dropped phone.  
  
"Thanks buddy," he said into it.  
  
"No problem!" the voice on the phone replied back, now joyful and not sounding like Samara.  
  
Jonouchi hung up the phone and laughed a little, so Izumi wouldn't hear.  
  
~****Izumi's Room****~  
  
Izumi ran into her room and shut the door behind her. She slid down so she sat on the floor with her back against the door. She buried her face in her hands and started crying.  
  
She lifted her face up, still crying, and yelled out loud, "I'm too young to die!" She started weeping again and put up her knees and wept in them.  
  
Suddenly, there was a sound at the window. Izumi looked up, tears still in her eyes. She saw a figure standing in the window frame.  
  
The figure jumped down without making a sound and Izumi could see his face.  
  
"Tetsuya?" Izumi questioned, wiping her tears and standing up. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I sensed your aura," Tetsuya answered. "It was scared to death."  
  
"They should not make movies like that!" Izumi shouted with tears in her eyes again. "People getting killed by watching it. It's horrible! Besides, I'm going to get killed now that I watched it! The phone rang and told me that I had seven days!"  
  
"Calm down," Tetsuya said, really concerned. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Izumi sat down where she was sitting before and put her head down, still crying. "The Ring," Izumi answered. "I watched the movie and it-the phone rang after, and said that I had seven days, just like on the movie."  
  
Tetsuya sat down beside Izumi which is when she noticed that he was only wearing baggy pants. She blushed and looked away from him.  
  
"I've watched of that movie," Tetsuya said and looked up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.  
  
"WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!" Izumi screamed, but quickly covered her mouth.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE, KAIJUU!?!?!?" Jonouchi yelled from downstairs.  
  
"TALKING TO A FRIEND ON THE PHONE!" Izumi yelled back. "ACTUALLY, I'M TALKING TO MY KILLER! HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO KILL ME TOMORROW!"  
There was no response.  
  
"If I say that, he's more than likely to NOT come up," Izumi explained. "He knows I'm not on the phone with my killer and that I'm really just talking to myself because I want him to come up so I can scare him. Actually, I've done that before!" She smiled wide.  
  
"Sounds like a nice plan," Tetsuya commented.  
  
"Yep," Izumi replied. "How long has it been since you watched it?"  
  
"Seven days," Tetsuya answered and smiled.  
  
"And you're not dead?" Izumi asked, surprised.  
  
"Nope," Tetsuya answered. "I watched it on Monday of last week at about 10:00pm."  
  
Izumi looked at the clock, 8:40pm. "You're going to die in an hour and twenty minutes!" Izumi almost shouted, but kept herself from doing so.  
  
"Yea, too bad, too," Tetsuya said, smiling.  
  
"Do you want to die?" Izumi questioned loudly as she stood up.  
  
"Keep it down, Izumi!" Kero shouted as he opened the drawer Izumi gave him which was on the bottom left. "I'm trying to sleep here." Then, Kero spotted Tetsuya who stood up, seeing him.  
  
"WH-" Kero started but Izumi covered his mouth before he could say anything.  
  
"I better get going," Tetsuya said, walking over to the window.  
  
"No way!" Izumi yelled and ran in front of the window, letting go of Kero. "You're not going to die. You'll stay here until it's that time. Then, I'll stop you from dying with the help of Kero and you can do the same for me in a week."  
  
"The movie isn't real, Izumi," Tetsuya said, pushing her out of the way. "It's just made to scare people out of their wits."  
  
Izumi blocked him again and this time she spoke firmer, "You are staying, so you won't die."  
  
"Fine," Tetsuya agreed, reluctantly. "I can't argue with you or we'd be getting a divorce real soon." Tetsuya smirked.  
  
Izumi moved out of the way and sat on her bed. "Very funny, Tetsuya," Izumi replied. "Just keep making those remarks and I won't save you."  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Kero asked, confused.  
  
"Tetsuya watched The Ring seven days ago at 10:00pm," Izumi answered. "He's going to die at that time today, unless we save him."  
  
"Why would we do that?" Kero asked.  
  
Izumi got really mad and said, just to make Kero mad, "Because Tetsuya is my husband and I can't be losing him now, can I?"  
  
"HUSBAND!?!?!?!" Kero yelled.  
  
Tetsuya and Izumi burst out laughing. "We got married in social studies class today and-" Izumi explained all about the project and all about the movie that is going to kill Tetsuya.  
  
Izumi heard footsteps coming up the stairs and quickly said, "Hide guys!"  
  
Kero flew into his drawer and Tetsuya crawled under Izumi's bed which he thought smelled a lot like cherry blossoms.  
  
The door opened, while Izumi was sitting on her bed with her phone in her ready to type in a number. Jonouchi stood at the door with his crutches, confused.  
  
"Who were you talking to?" he asked, looking around.  
  
"Tomoyo," Izumi answered. "I just hung up with her and I'm going to call someone else now." She smiled innocently at him.  
  
"All right, but if you keep making this much noise, no phone for a week," Jonouchi replied.  
  
"And who says you're the boss of me?" Izumi questioned with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Me," Jonouchi answered and gave her the widest smirk he ever has. Izumi crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away with a "hmpf." Satisfied, Jonouchi left Izumi's room, limping.  
  
Izumi waited till she couldn't hear footsteps anymore, opened one eye to look out the door, stood up and closed the door. Kero burst out of his drawer and Tetsuya came out from under Izumi's bed.  
  
"Now then, what were we talking about?" Izumi questioned with a little grin, which made Kero and Tetsuya fall over anime style.  
  
Kero recovered first, "You were saying how the gaki here is going to die tonight at 10:00pm, which is in 10 minutes." Izumi followed Kero's gaze to the clock.  
  
"Oh God!" Izumi almost whispered. "This is horrible."  
  
"Like I said, the movie is fake, Izumi," Tetsuya said, trying to calm Izumi down.  
  
A bolt of shock hit all three of them. Tetsuya and Izumi looked wide- eyed at each other.  
  
"A Clow Card," they both whispered in unison.  
  
"Oh no," Izumi said under her breath and then fell to her knees. She put her head down, then got an idea. She raised her head with a determined face on.  
  
"I'll call Tomoyo and Meiling," Izumi said and grabbed her phone. While it was ringing, she said, "Tetsuya, you're staying here. If-that won't work. Oh man!"  
  
"What won't work?" Tetsuya asked, concerned.  
  
"If you stay here, you could still die, so you'll have to come," Izumi said and then Tomoyo answered the phone. "Tomoyo, meet us at the park. A Clow Card is waiting."  
  
Izumi hung up the phone and dialed Meiling. She told her the same thing and hung up also. Izumi cleared her throat and said:  
  
"Oh, Key of Clow,  
Power of magic, power of light,  
Surrender the wand,  
The force ignite.  
Release!"  
  
Her Key turned into a long wand with a bird-like head on it. "JUMP!" Izumi yelled as she threw a card into the air and hit it with her wand. Little wings appeared on each of her shoes.  
  
"You don't know how powerful The Jump Card is, so you should be careful with it," Kero said, looking really worried.  
  
"Don't worry Kero!" Izumi said and walked over to her window. "Okay, here goes nothing!" She stepped onto the ledge and jumped out the window.  
  
Kero and Tetsuya ran over to the window and looked down from it.  
  
"And you are looking down, why exactly?" Izumi asked from up in the tree. She was at the very top of it.  
  
"You can control it," Kero said, amazed. "Sakura always had trouble the first few times controlling The Jump."  
  
"Let's go," Izumi said before Kero could say more. Kero flew over to her as she jumped down from the tree and Tetsuya jumped from the window to land beside her.  
  
Izumi stared at him. Tetsuya looked at her and saw her confused expression. "Years of Martial Arts Training," he said and started jumping from tree to tree down the street.  
  
Izumi followed without being reluctant. She pushed off the trees as hard as she could to keep up.  
  
They reached Penguin Park in no time at all. Izumi jumped from the last tree and into the park, right behind Tetsuya, with Kero on her shoulder.  
  
"You didn't have to go that fast!" Kero panted, out of breath.  
  
"Gomen nasai, Kero," Izumi replied. She stepped into the park with a determined look on her face. She was now standing beside Tetsuya.  
  
"IZUMI!" a voice yelled from behind them. They turned around to face two girls, one with long raven hair in two pigtails and the other with long violet hair that was down.  
  
Meiling was wearing her pajamas, which were a red tank top with long red and white striped lounge pants. Tomoyo also had her pajamas on, a light blue tank top with a blue bird on it and blue lounge pants with blue birds all over them. Of course, Tomoyo had her video camera with her.  
  
"I just could not miss this!" Tomoyo said when her and Meiling reached the others. "I didn't finish my outfit for you, but I think your PJ's are too kawaii for words!" She tilted the camera up and down, making sure to get all of them.  
  
"Looks like we all got out of bed just for this," Meiling said, looking at Tetsuya. "Is that all you wear to bed?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, it is," Tetsuya replied and Tomoyo instantly turned her camera on him.  
  
"I'll have to make copies of this," Tomoyo said, moving her camera down from her face. Izumi saw that she was smiling wickedly.  
  
"Do the words 'Clow Card' mean anything to you guys?" Kero asked, getting everyone's attention.  
  
"I guess you are right," Meiling said, "Izumi is the new Card Mistress."  
  
"Darn right she is!" Kero replied with his arms crossed.  
  
"Okay, well you guys can hide in the bushes while I capture the Clow Card," Izumi said to Tomoyo and Meiling. She moved closer and whispered, "Keep an eye on Tetsuya, he's going to be keeping you guys company this time."  
  
Before Tomoyo or Meiling could ask what Izumi meant by that, she had already jumped toward the place where she felt the presence of the Clow Card. She suddenly felt the presence grow stronger and looked towards the bridge.  
  
A figure was walking towards her. When she came into the moonlight, Izumi saw that she looked almost like Meiling, except with bigger buns in her hair with hair that was hanging down and she was wearing long gloves that had wide parts sticking out and long boots with the same effect. Her outfit had a turtleneck and was sort of a dress that had two flared parts out with a red ruby in the center of her chest with an under suit with it.  
  
"The Fight!" Kero screamed out of the top of his lungs and quickly flew over to Izumi who was only ten feet away from the Clow Card.  
  
"The Fight Card can only be beaten in battle with no use of any cards at all," Kero explained as it came closer.  
  
"Okay Kero, I trust you," Izumi replied and yelled, "Jump Card, return to your power confined. JUMP CARD!" She slammed her wand to the air and the wings on her shoes were gone. The card flew towards her and she caught it and put it into her pocket.  
  
Kero flew back towards Tomoyo, Meiling, and Tetsuya who was explaining to the girls why Izumi was making him stay out of the fight. Kero had given Izumi one last warning before leaving, "Let her make the first move."  
  
The Fight Card stopped about three feet away from Izumi and got into a fighting pose. Izumi did the same.  
  
"Do you think she can win?" Tomoyo asked Tetsuya, filming every move of Izumi's with her camera.  
  
"Depends on how good she is at fighting and how lucky she is," Tetsuya answered.  
  
"She'll win, Tomoyo, don't worry," Meiling replied, ignoring Tetsuya's comment.  
  
"Thanks Meiling," Tomoyo replied, smiling at her with her camera still on Izumi.  
  
'Let her make the first move,' Izumi thought. 'Oh God, how long will she take to make the first move?'  
  
The Fight just stood there, watching Izumi to see if she would make a move.  
  
'She just wants me to make the first move,' Izumi thought. 'Well I'm not giving up that easily.' Izumi gave Fight the worst glare ever. (a/n: She must of learned it from Syaoran, lol.)  
  
Fight saw this and looked a little surprised, but only for a moment.  
  
"If Izumi makes the first move, then Fight has the advantage," Tetsuya said, watching Izumi and Fight without blinking, "but if Fight moves first, then Izumi has the advantage. Let's just hope that Izumi knows how to block."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Tomoyo replied. "All those days with Kei has her boyfriend wasn't for nothing. I mean-"  
  
"Wait, hold on!" Tetsuya yelled, getting Izumi's attention from Fight.  
  
Fight took her chance. She jumped up from her place and toward Izumi in a kick position.  
  
"IZUMI!" Tomoyo yelled, looking at Izumi instead of Tetsuya.  
  
Izumi threw her head toward Fight and block the kick with her arms. Fight jumped back and headed toward Izumi again. It kept throwing punches at Izumi and Izumi blocked them with her fast reflexes. Fight backed her up toward the trees.  
  
"You didn't tell me that Izumi went out with Kei!" Tetsuya screamed at Tomoyo.  
  
"Are you even concerned with this fight?" Tomoyo asked, her camera facing the fight. "Fight made the first move."  
  
"SO!?!?!" Tetsuya yelled. "Why would Izumi ever go out with him?"  
  
"I don't know!" Tomoyo yelled back, making Tetsuya quiet down.  
  
Tetsuya lowered his voice and asked, "Do you know how like far they got?"  
  
"You mean like, did they have sex?" Tomoyo asked, smiling at him. "I think you'll have to ask her that, but do you really think that her body is the body of a non-virgin?" Tomoyo pointed to Izumi, fighting Fight with her camera still pointed at Izumi.  
  
Tetsuya looked over at Izumi who was blocking all Fight's attacks, but was backing up while doing so.  
  
Tetsuya suddenly got the most shocked look on his face, like he was just realizing something.  
  
"Fight plans to back her up against a tree so she can't get out," Tetsuya said to Tomoyo, Kero, and Meiling, still with that look on his face, standing up.  
  
Izumi was blocking all of Fight's punches and kicks, but she was getting tired and she needed to have a rest soon. 'Oh shit!' Izumi thought. 'This can't be the end!'  
  
Fight kept throwing punches and kicks until she spotted a tree. She made Izumi head for that tree. Izumi hit the tree with her back and realized what Fight was doing.  
  
Fight had the weirdest look on its face, like it was saying, "This is the end of the line for you."  
  
Izumi saw the look and thought, 'I'm not giving up!' Izumi glared again at Fight and when Fight threw her punch that she was sure would hit Izumi right in the head, Izumi ducked.  
  
Izumi swung her leg around under Fight's legs, making her fall. She stood up and took her wand from her belt. (a/n: That's where she put it when they started the fight.)  
  
"Fight Card, return to your power confined!" Izumi shouted, slamming her wand against the air. "FIGHT CARD!"  
  
A card appeared in the air and Fight disappeared, its spirit going into the card. The card flew over to Izumi who caught it with her left hand. It was a picture of the girl with the words, 'The Fight' on the bottom of it.  
  
"You did it!" Tomoyo screamed as she, Tetsuya, Kero, and Meiling ran over to congratulate her.  
  
"I have to admit, I didn't think you could do it," Meiling said, smiling at Izumi. "By the way, who's Kei?"  
  
Izumi stared at her for a second before her question got translated in her mind. "Do you mean the Kei who went to my old school?"  
  
"I guess," Meiling replied. "These two were talking about you and Kei going out." She pointed to Tomoyo and Tetsuya who weren't looking at Izumi.  
  
"Oh, well we did go out at one point-" Izumi started.  
  
"WHAT!??!?!?!?!" Tetsuya yelled, looking straight at her. "Why didn't you tell me this?"  
  
"I didn't think it would matter that much to you," Izumi replied. She looked at her watch, 10:18pm. Izumi was shocked and then she smiled super wide. She ran over and wrapped her arms around Tetsuya, giving him a great big hug. "You're not dead!!!!!!!!" Tears were streaming down her face.  
  
Tomoyo, not wanting to miss the kawaii moment, turned on her camera and started filming. Kero turned away, not liking anyone touch his new mistress. Meiling thought it was way kawaii, and was smiling sweetly at them.  
  
Tetsuya blushed as red as anyone could go. Izumi still hung onto him with the card in her hand. She finally seized hugging him and looked toward Tomoyo, Meiling, and Kero.  
  
"How about we have a campout?" Izumi said. Everyone fell over anime style.  
  
"A campout!" Meiling shouted. "It's 10:30 at night!"  
  
"I am hungry," Kero said, his stomach growling. "Can we eat now?"  
  
"I guess we can have a campout if you really want to, Izumi," Tomoyo said with glee.  
  
"YES!" Izumi said, making the arm elbow down thing. "We need firewood for marshmallows and we need marshmallows and chocolate and those graham crackers, too!"  
  
"Meiling, Kero, and I will get the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, while you and Tetsuya will gather firewood," Tomoyo said, smiling her widest smile.  
  
"I'm not leaving my mistress alone with that gaki!" Kero shouted.  
  
"If you come with us, you can eat along the way back," Tomoyo said, smiling at him sneakily.  
  
"OKAY!" Kero yelled, flying to the gate. "Coming guys?"  
  
Meiling and Tomoyo ran over to the gate and walked out of Penguin Park.  
  
"Uh-what just happened?" Tetsuya asked, sweatdropping.  
  
"We just got put on firewood duty, that's what," Izumi replied with a sigh. "Well, let's go!"  
  
~****Kero, Meiling, & Tomoyo****~  
  
"Come on guys!" Kero yelled from the sidewalk corner. They were on their way to Tomoyo's house/mansion to get marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.  
  
"We're coming, Kero!" Meiling yelled from the other corner of the sidewalk. Her and Tomoyo were walking behind Kero. Meiling turned to Tomoyo. "Kero hasn't changed one bit."  
  
"No, he hasn't changed all that much, but he has changed," Tomoyo replied. "Kero, like all three of us, misses Sakura and maybe even Li a little too, if you look deep down."  
  
"Yea, we all miss them," Meiling said. "Izumi and Tetsuya are just like them, aren't they?"  
  
"There are a few differences here and there, but otherwise, they are just like Sakura and Li," Tomoyo answered, smiling. "Now that Li's gone, you are a free woman again."  
  
"Yea, it's great!" Meiling replied. "I get to flirt with any good- looking guy! It's heaven!"  
  
"Soon you'll meet that one special guy that makes you feel safe and secure when you're in his arms," Tomoyo said, starry-eyed. "Kawaii..."  
  
Tomoyo and Meiling finally reached the corner where Kero was waiting.  
  
"Can't you guys move any faster?" Kero asked clearly mad.  
  
"Gomen," Tomoyo replied. "We'll go faster now."  
  
All three of them headed in the direction of Tomoyo's house, Tomoyo and Meiling trying to go a little faster with every step.  
  
~****Izumi & Tetsuya****~  
  
Auburn hair was blowing in the wind as Izumi picked up every stick in sight, size didn't matter. Her emerald eyes searching for the best twigs and dry leaves to start the fire.  
  
Izumi looked over at the chestnut haired boy walking on the other side of some trees. His amber eyes searching for the same thing she was.  
  
Tetsuya tensed up, knowing that someone was watching him. He tried to keep calm, but really couldn't. He glanced up at the girl near him and she quickly looked down.  
  
It went on like that for practically forever! At least that's what it seemed to them.  
  
Izumi couldn't take it anymore. She had to do something instead of just picking up sticks! 'I have an idea!' Izumi thought and looked sneakily at Tetsuya.  
  
Tetsuya looked up at Izumi, but she was gone. 'What in the world-?' Tetsuya thought.  
  
Izumi walked silently over to her backpack. She pulled out her laptop and clicked on a song, her song. She had downloaded one of her songs a long time ago and put it on a disk after correcting all of the mistakes in her singing.  
  
Days go by And I'm still standing here All by myself Trying to forget All the things I've felt  
  
Why should I be searching When you don't care Why should I be living When it's never gunna be  
  
Life is always there Just when you think it's gone It's always there when you need it Nothing like love...  
  
"Where'd you get that?" Tetsuya asked, sitting down beside Izumi after putting the sticks in a pile. "It's great!"  
  
"I made it," Izumi replied, smiling as she pressed the off button on her laptop. "Soon, I'm going to put my new part in it. I keep all my possible lyrics on my website."  
  
She logged onto her name, Wildfire, and went straight to her website.  
  
"This is my website," Izumi said, showing Tetsuya. She laid down on her stomach and so did Tetsuya, right beside her.  
  
Izumi showed him all of her possible lyrics. "You know those right there are good," Tetsuya said, pointing to some words, "except for one thing, the voice."  
  
"What's wrong with my voice?" Izumi asked, glaring at him.  
  
"Nothing at all," Tetsuya replied. "It's just not right for those words. You need someone else to sing them."  
  
"You mean, get someone else to sing them with me, like a duet type thing, except we have our own parts?" Izumi asked, understanding for once.  
  
"Exactly," Tetsuya replied.  
  
An unexpected IM popped up on the screen. It was from Lovinlife...  
  
Lovinlife: Hey gurl! I didnt expect u to be on! It's late!  
  
Wildfire: I'm not home, I'm camping w/ my new friends. Y r u on now????  
  
Lovinlife: I couldn't sleep. b/s I need details! How is ur new school? Who r ur friends? R there any cute boys there?  
  
Wildfire: U have a bf!  
  
Lovinlife: I meant for u!  
  
Wildfire: ok, school's great, totally wonderful! I made cheerleading captain!  
  
Lovinlife: CONGRATS!!!!  
  
Wildfire: thanks, btw, guess who's here?  
  
"You're not," Tetsuya said, pleading.  
  
"Oh yes, I am," Izumi replied, smiling. "Besides I already told her about the social studies project."  
  
"Great," Tetsuya replied.  
  
Lovinlife: who?  
  
Wildfire: Tetsuya Li (aka Karatekid) is right beside me, and Tomoyo Daidouji (aka Kawaiiluver) is out getting marshmallows w/ Meiling Li, my other friend  
  
Lovinlife: OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! KAWAII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: -_-'  
  
"She sounds like Tomoyo," Tetsuya said, sweatdropping.  
  
"Hey guys!" a voice sounded from the gate. "We're back!" Tomoyo, Meiling, and Kero came running over.  
  
"Finally!" Tetsuya said, getting up. He looked at the girls. "Wait a minute! You guys weren't wearing those when you left!"  
  
Tomoyo was wearing a beautiful light blue dress and a bow in her hair. Meiling was wearing blue jeans and a red T-shirt with a duck on it. (a/n: Btw, everyone's wearing tennis shoes because they didn't fight and jump w/o shoes!)  
  
"We changed," Tomoyo replied. "You guys can too, I brought my latest creation for Izumi and some extra clothes from uh-somewhere for Tetsuya."  
  
"Sure, I just have to call my dad," Izumi said. She grabbed her cell phone from her backpack, called her dad real quick, and told him where she was. She looked toward her laptop. "Oh no! I forgot about Mika!"  
  
She ran over to the computer screen and saw that Mika had been sending all these messages like "HELLO!?!?!?!?!" and Izumi said "sorry and brb."  
  
Tetsuya had already changed away from the girls, so it was Izumi's turn. She took Tomoyo's creation and walked past Tetsuya. He was wearing a flannel T-shirt and tan jeans.  
  
Izumi went behind the trees and changed into Tomoyo's beautiful creation. She walked back out to see a smiling, shiny eyed Tomoyo, a knowing Meiling, and a stunned Tetsuya.  
  
Izumi's outfit consisted of a red and pink tie-dyed bandana that she wore so some of her hair stuck out in the front, blue jean shorts, and a pink and red tie-dyed tank top. The shorts were very short and the tank top had spaghetti straps. (a/n: Btw, they all still had on their tennis shoes.)  
  
"Kawaii!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo screamed, getting out her camera and filming Izumi walk over to her laptop.  
  
Izumi laid down on her belly again when Tomoyo asked, "Who are you talking to?"  
"My friend, Mika," Izumi answered.  
  
"I'll talk too!" Tomoyo replied. "Just let me get my laptop!" Tomoyo rushed over to get her laptop.  
  
Wildfire: back  
  
Lovinlife: about time! wut were u doing, making out w/ Tetsuya?  
  
Wildfire: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Lovinlife: sure seemed like it w/ all the time u took....is there something u r not telling me?  
  
Wildfire: I tell u everything, luckily Tetsuya is not reading the screen right now...  
  
Tomoyo had gotten her laptop set up and seeing this, Izumi invited her and Mika to a chat room.  
  
Wildfire: Mika, meet Tomoyo, Tomoyo, Mika  
  
Kawaiiluver: hey gurl!  
  
Lovinlife: Hey! I finally get to meet u!  
  
Wildfire: -_-'  
  
Tomoyo giggled as she read the screen. Meiling and Tetsuya decided to get in on the conversation too, so they got their laptops. Kero was sleeping and didn't care if they made food or not.  
  
Kawaiiluver: I'm inviting Meiling and Tetsuya, they're on  
  
Wildfire: I know!! I'm right here!!!  
  
Lovinlife: YAY! more buds I get to meet!  
  
Karatekid has entered the chat room.  
  
Sexychic has entered the chat room.  
  
Wildfire: I like ur name, Meiling ^_^  
  
Sexychic: thanks!  
  
Karatekid: -_-' dont encourage her...  
  
Meiling got up from her computer and whacked Tetsuya across the head before going back to her computer. Tomoyo and Izumi giggled.  
  
Lovinlife: hey, nice to meet y'all!  
  
Sexychic: so ur Mika? love the name!  
  
Lovinlife: thanks!  
  
Wildfire: y dont we talk 'bout something?  
  
Karatekid: sure, but wut?  
  
Wildfire: u know, u talk more than when I met u, Tetsuya  
  
Kawaiiluver: u know, he blushes every time u smile at him?  
  
Karatekid: I do not!  
  
Kawaiiluver: then y were u blushing just then when Izumi smiled at u?  
  
Karatekid: ...  
  
Kawaiiluver: he's speechless, HA!  
  
Lovinlife: nice job!  
  
Kawaiiluver: thanks!  
  
Karatekid: i'm not letting a bunch of gurls run me!  
  
Wildfire: no, ur just letting one  
  
Karatekid: and who's that?  
  
Wildfire: me, u baka!  
  
Lovinlife: awwwwwww...  
  
Kawaiiluver: Kawaii...  
  
Sexychic: perfect...  
  
Wildfire: not in that way!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: -_-'  
  
Lovinlife: -_-'  
  
Sexychic: -_-'  
  
Wildfire: lol  
  
Karatekid: where is this conversation going?  
  
Wildfire: nowhere, really...at least not where I want to take it...  
  
Karatekid: and where do u want to take it?  
  
Wildfire: like uh-no how about-no, man! All these topics r for gurls!  
  
Karatekid: -_-' thanks for keeping me in mind  
  
Sexychic: u guys just go ahead and have a private conversation.........leave us here hanging...  
  
Kawaiiluver: Shhhhhh! I'm trying to listen to their conversation!  
  
Lovinlife: so am I!!!!  
  
Lovinlife: OMG! RON'S ON!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!! I'll invite him!  
  
Wildfire: -_-' Ron is Mika's bf  
  
Kawaiiluver: kawaii! but I like the I/T couple better...very intriguing  
  
Wildfire: cut it out, Tomoyo  
  
Surfinsites enters the chat room.  
  
Lovinlife: YAY!  
  
Surfinsites: calm down, Mika, now who are y'all?  
  
Wildfire: introduce urselves...........u know me  
  
Kawaiiluver: Tomoyo  
  
Sexychic: Meiling  
  
Karatekid: Tetsuya  
  
Lovinlife: MIKA! YAY!  
  
Surfinsites: -_-' i'm confuzzled, how did u get sooo many friends, Izumi?  
  
Wildfire: I'm smart, beautiful, talented, Cheerleading Captain, and wonderfully lovable! Wut's not to like?  
  
Kawaiiluver: u'r also as dense as a frog!  
  
Wildfire: : P  
  
Surfinsites: sooo, how's life been treating ya  
  
Wildfire: absolutely PERFECT!  
  
Kawaiiluver: so, u'd rather be w/ Tetsuya then Chris for our assignment?  
  
Wildfire: dont u dare try giving me the "knowing" look! I know wut ur trying to do and it will not work!  
  
Kawaiiluver: I forgot to ask, but how was it that u and Tetsuya got here the same time?  
  
Wildfire: ... Karatekid: dont do that to her. u know I already told u about 'The Ring'  
  
Kawaiiluver: ^_^ I couldn't resist!  
  
Karatekid: -_-'  
  
Wildfire: never do that again, Tomoyo......never ever.  
  
Lovinlife: who's Chris?  
  
Sexychic: a guy that Izumi's absolutely ga, ga for w/ blue eyes and chocolate brown hair  
  
Wildfire: : P am not!  
  
Kawaiiluver: r too!  
  
Wildfire: i don't like him as more than a friend  
  
Wildfire: OMG!!!!!!!!!!! Is that Jonouchi coming!?!?!?!?  
  
Everyone around with their laptops looked to where Izumi was looking. They saw two figures coming their way. One was Jonouchi, limping, the other was just as old but much more handsome.  
  
"You should be home in bed!" Jonouchi said to Izumi. "Tomorrow's a school day." He looked Izumi over, making sure that she wasn't hurt. "And what the heck are you wearing?"  
  
"Tomoyo's creation," Izumi answered sweetly. "I happen to like it. By the way, who's your friend?"  
  
"This is Yukito," Jonouchi replied, "he used to be Touya's friend who moved away."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Izumi," Yukito said.  
  
"Nice to meet you, too," Izumi replied with a smile. Yukito was at least a foot or two taller than Izumi, but she didn't mind one bit. "I don't mean to be rude, but we were kind of in the middle of a conversation here."  
  
"You were all on your laptops," Jonouchi replied.  
  
"Duh, IM!" Izumi replied and everyone said good-bye to Yukito and Jonouchi when they left after Jonouchi gave Tetsuya a dirty look.  
  
"Now then, let's get back to our conversation," Izumi said as she laid back on her belly in front of her laptop.  
  
Wildfire: sorry guys, Jonouchi came...to check up on me...  
  
Surfinsites: dun worry, we understand  
  
Lovinlife: yea, we totally understand!  
  
Kawaiiluver: now, we were discussing Chris...any words Izumi  
  
Wildfire: yes, : P  
  
Kawaiiluver: i said words!  
  
Wildfire: ok, u r evil!  
  
Kawaiiluver: i know...*_*  
  
Karatekid: she's horrible...  
  
Wildfire: more than horrible...  
  
Sexychic: let's talk bout something fun already!  
  
Wildfire: wut???  
  
Sexychic: ...  
  
Wildfire: wut's been happening back there, Mika?  
  
Lovinlife: its been normal, very normal....too normal!  
  
Wildfire: I've found adventure, action, cheerleading, and social studies projects!  
  
Kawaiiluver: AND LOVE!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: have not! : P  
  
Kawaiiluver: have 2!  
  
Karatekid: dont be fighting now, girls...  
  
Wildfire: u cant order me around! :(  
  
Surfinsites: better duck, dude!  
  
Izumi got up quickly from her laptop to hit Tetsuya across the head. He, of course, caught her hand before it could land on him. Izumi pulled away and stuck her tongue out at him. She turned and went back to her laptop.  
  
Wildfire: i'm not talking to u, Tetsuya : P  
  
Karatekid: wut did u call that?  
  
Wildfire: a warning!  
  
Surfinsites: did ya duck?  
  
Kawaiiluver: better! he caught her arm! And I could definitely see a blush there!  
  
Lovinlife: so u were makin out w/ Tetsuya when u took sooo long!  
  
Karatekid: O.O  
  
Wildfire: was not! : P i was changing clothes!  
  
Kawaiiluver: *giggling*  
  
Wildfire: wut's that for?  
  
Wildfire: O!!!!!! sorry, we both got changed in the woods like away from everyone else, so yea...  
  
Lovinlife: LOL  
  
Kawaiiluver: LOL!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sexychic: lol!  
  
Surfinsites: major lol issues dude!  
  
Karatekid: u guys r crazy! I tell ya!  
  
Wildfire: way CRAZY!  
  
Karatekid: i thought u weren't talking to me???  
  
Kawaiiluver: a smirk from Tetsuya and a blush from Izumi..........the heat continues!  
  
Wildfire: SHUT UP TOMOYO!!!!!!!! ok, uh-I'm sorry for trying to hit u, I was mad  
  
Kawaiiluver: now kiss and you'll be all better!!!!  
  
Wildfire: TOMOYO!!!!!!!! n e way, can u forgive me?  
  
Karatekid: of course, ur forgiven  
  
Lovinlife: Tomoyo, do u have a camera cuz I want this moment on tape!!!!!!! Better yet, wait till they kiss, then tape it!!!!!  
  
Kawaiiluver: been taping the whole conversation gurl!!!!!!!!  
  
Wildfire: -_-'  
  
Karatekid: guys, it's getting late...we better get going, like now.  
  
Sexychic: but this conversation was getting sooo interesting! I really thought u guys were going to kiss...... oh pooey......  
  
Wildfire: like I said, they'll never learn.... -_-'  
  
Surfinsites: i agree w/ them, u'd make a good couple ^_^  
  
Wildfire: -_-' not u 2!!!!!!!!!  
  
Karatekid: let's just go already!  
  
Everyone signed off their screen names and they all decided to go to bed in their sleeping bags that Tomoyo's mom had dropped off when they were IMing each other. Everyone dreamed peaceful dreams all through the night.  
  
~****Next Morning****~  
  
Izumi woke up the next morning before everyone else. She sat up in her sleeping bag and rubbed her eyes. She didn't feel so good.  
  
"I feel like I just got out of the washing machine," Izumi said quietly, knowing that everyone was still sleeping. Everything was spinning around her.  
  
'Get home,' were the only things she could think of.  
  
~****Fifteen Minutes Later****~  
  
Tomoyo got up and looked around. Everyone else was getting up too. She looked over at Izumi's sleeping bag and saw it empty. Her eyes went wide awake.  
  
"Izumi's gone!" Tomoyo screamed. That got everyone's attention. They all ran over to Izumi's sleeping bag.  
  
Tetsuya found a note on it and read it out loud:  
  
Dear everyone,  
  
I'm really not feeling good right now. I went home when I woke up. Hope you guys are all right! Btw, I'll be at school today still.  
  
Izumi  
  
Everyone looked at each other sternly. "Maybe she shouldn't have been out here that late," Tomoyo stated. "That could've been the case."  
  
"And after fighting that Clow Card all alone, I would be surprised if she wasn't sick," Tetsuya replied.  
  
A HUGE yawn was heard from behind them. Kero was waking up.  
  
"Where's Izumi?" Kero asked.  
  
"She was feeling sick and had to go home," Meiling answered. "Poor girl."  
  
"And she didn't take me?" Kero asked seriously.  
  
"Guess not, but I don't see why she would want to, a stupid stuffed animal like you," Tetsuya said, glaring.  
  
"Why you gaki!" Kero yelled at Tetsuya. "I'm going to bop you on the head so hard, it's going to-"  
  
"So, you're planning to bop me to death?" Tetsuya asked, smirking.  
  
Kero was about to blow a gasket.  
  
"Let's just all go home!" Tomoyo yelled and dragged Kero away toward Izumi's house while Meiling and Tetsuya went the other way.  
  
~****Izumi's House****~  
  
"She'll be staying in bed the entire day," Hayao said to Jonouchi, sitting on the couch beside his son.  
  
"Serves her right for having a 'campout' on a school night," Jonouchi replied.  
  
"She was just having fun with her new friends, Jonouchi," Hayao replied sternly.  
  
"She still shouldn't have been out there," Jonouchi answered with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"Let the girl have some fun in her life," Hayao replied, getting up and walking toward the kitchen.  
  
Jonouchi started muttering to himself. He then got the greatest idea. He could spend the day at home with Izumi and that would be fun. Playing board games and Poker is always fun.  
  
He ran up the stairs with a smile on his face and opened Izumi's door.  
  
"Hey Izumi-" Jonouchi started and then widened his eyes. The room was empty! Izumi was gone!  
  
a/n: ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! I am soooooo bad! Review! Love y'all!!!!!! 


	5. Captures, School, and Skating?

Another Chance  
  
By: Snow Horse  
  
I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. *sighs* But I do own this computer!!!!!!! *grabs computer* MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?  
  
Key: "talking"  
  
'thinking'  
  
~****scene change****~  
  
(a/n: author's note)  
  
Recap.  
Jonouchi started muttering to himself. He then got the greatest idea. He could spend the day at home with Izumi and that would be fun. Playing board games and Poker is always fun.  
  
He ran up the stairs with a smile on his face and opened Izumi's door.  
  
"Hey Izumi-" Jonouchi started and then widened his eyes. The room was empty! Izumi was gone!  
  
Have Fun Everyone! I have to admit, this is one of my shorter chapters!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Captures, School, and Skating?  
  
"Hey Tetsuya," Tomoyo asked when they arrived at school, "didn't that note say that she'd be at school today?"  
  
Tetsuya reached in his pocket and pulled out the note. "Yea, it does," Tetsuya replied, looking it over again. "You don't think-"  
  
Tetsuya was cut-off by the bell to start class. "All right class," Miss Perna said, "we'll begin where we left off in Flipped. I believe page 100."  
  
The whole class turned to page 100 and Miss Perna started reading. Meiling whispered to Tomoyo, "I bet Izumi is in her bedroom right now, safe and sound."  
  
~****Penguin Park****~  
  
'I sensed it here,' Izumi thought, 'but where?' She walked into Penguin Park, confident in her ability. She had used Jump to get here and was breathing hard, but she was ready for battle.  
  
"I know you're here!" Izumi shouted at the Clow Card.  
  
Suddenly, something dashed right in front of Izumi. She turned to face where it went. She could've sworn it was a sword. It flew out again, this time, nicking Izumi on the arm. It was definitely a sword.  
  
'The Sword Card,' Izumi thought, and looking toward where it went. 'Why is it so fast?'  
  
The Sword Card came out again. This time, stopping right in front of Izumi, like a battle.  
  
"So, this is a fair battle?" Izumi asked. She held up her wand and got ready.  
  
Sword dashed right past Izumi, cutting into her arm just a little. Izumi glanced at her right arm, now with two gashes. Sword came back, with Izumi's back turned. It swiped her on her left leg, leaving a huge gash.  
  
Izumi fell to her knees, but wouldn't give up. 'Sword shouldn't be this fast,' Izumi thought.  
  
Sword came at her again and again, till her face had three scraps on it, her legs each at two big gashes, her right arm had tons of little scratches, and her left shoulder had one huge gash.  
  
Izumi was still on her knees, using her wand to keep her up. 'Why did I come out here without Kero or Tetsuya or Tomoyo or even Meiling?' Izumi thought and started getting tears in her eyes.  
  
'Don't give up,' a voice sounded from somewhere far away.  
  
'What the-?' Izumi thought.  
  
'Never believe you can't do this, you will always be able to,' the voice sounded again.  
  
'Can you hear my thoughts?' Izumi asked, but the voice was gone. Izumi closed her eyes and could feel Sword coming in for its last hit.  
  
"NO!" Izumi shouted and whacked her wand at where she thought Sword was.  
  
She got it. "Sword Card, Jump Card, return to your power confined! SWORD! JUMP!" Izumi slammed her stick at the fallen sword and then noticed that a sort of purple cat was laying next to it. 'Dash?' Izumi questioned. "Dash Card, return to your power confined! DASH CARD!"  
  
Three cards were created and flew to Izumi. One was The Jump, of course. The other two were The Sword and The Dash. She got out The Fight Card.  
  
'I caught four cards in three days,' Izumi thought. 'I know I'll be able to catch them all.' And with that last thought, she blacked out.  
  
~****The Hospital****~  
  
"I can't believe I didn't even feel those cards!" Kero yelled. Him, Tetsuya, Tomoyo, and Meiling were in Izumi's hospital room. Jonouchi had found Izumi laying in the park and had brought her here. School was already over, but Jonouchi had a club to go to and Hayao had to go to work, so it was just them, watching over Izumi.  
  
"I never knew cards could team up like that," Tomoyo said, holding all four of Izumi's captured cards in her hands. She was sitting to the right of Izumi's bed. Meiling had just put a thermometer in Izumi's mouth.  
  
Tetsuya was sitting on the other side of Izumi's bed. "I guess this time they know that they can be more powerful combined," Tetsuya answered.  
  
"I still think she should have called us or something," Tomoyo replied. "She is sick!"  
  
Meiling took the thermometer out of Izumi's mouth. "Actually, her temperature is back to normal," Meiling stated while she shook the thermometer with her hand.  
  
"I guess that battle healed her then?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"It could have healed her," Kero answered, calculating. "Those cards must have been so powerful that only someone just as powerful could sense them. All the blood Izumi lost must have been infected blood, infected with whatever sickness she had."  
  
"That is possible," Meiling replied. "Izumi could've lost all the infected blood and still had enough to live."  
  
Izumi turned her head to one side and closed her eyes tighter, making everyone turn toward her. "She must be having a bad dream," Tomoyo stated and grabbed a wet cloth to put on Izumi's forehead.  
  
Just before Tomoyo could put it on her, Izumi shot up in bed, wide- eyed and breathing hard. Everyone was on their feet now. "W-what are you guys looking at?" Izumi asked, looking at them.  
  
"We-you-are you okay?" Tetsuya asked seriously.  
  
"I'm fine," Izumi replied. "The last thing I remember is catching The Dash Card. It somehow combined with The Sword Card."  
  
"We know," Kero replied. "Your brother, Jonouchi found you in Penguin Park and brought you here." He paused. "WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME OR SOMETHING!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"  
  
"Gomen nasai Kero," Izumi said with her head down. "I thought maybe you sensed it. Since no one was at the park when I got there, I thought I had to face this card on my own."  
"NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!" Kero yelled.  
  
Izumi was scared of him now. She looked at him with a scared face.  
  
"Don't worry, Izumi, Kero just doesn't want to lose you," Tomoyo said.  
  
Izumi sighed. "I know, but you guys sometimes just have to trust me," Izumi replied. "I know I'll need help with some of the cards, but I can do things on my own."  
  
"We know, Izumi," Meiling said and smiled. "We had better get going. Since you're awake, you'll be okay by yourself."  
  
"Okay, bye guys!" Izumi said.  
  
"See you later, Izumi!" they all chimed with Tomoyo dragging Kero out of the room.  
Izumi turned on her side. "Thank you," she whispered to the person who helped her. The cuts and gashes still hurt, but it was all worth the pain for a Clow Card.  
  
~****Next Day, School****~  
  
"How long will Izumi be in the hospital?" Meiling asked Tomoyo, sitting in her seat behind Tomoyo.  
  
Just then the door opened and Tomoyo turned towards it. She turned back to Meiling and nodded towards the door. "Does she answer your question?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
Meiling looked towards the door. A girl with short auburn hair and emerald green eyes was standing there with the whole class staring at her.  
  
"IZUMI!" Meiling cried and ran towards Izumi with a hug. "You're back!" She let go of the hug and looked down Izumi. "And you still have your legs and arms!"  
  
"Uh-yea, Meiling, I do," Izumi said and they both walked to their seats. Meiling was too excited for Izumi to be back and Tomoyo was too, taping everything that just happened. Tetsuya was sitting in his seat right behind Izumi and was just as happy as Tomoyo and Meiling to see that Izumi was back, but didn't let it show.  
  
Izumi turned around to face Tetsuya. "Ohayo Tetsuya," she said and smiled brightly at him.  
  
Tetsuya looked up from the book he was reading and replied, "Glad to have you back, Izumi."  
  
"I'm glad to be back," Izumi answered, giving him a slight head turn with a smile.  
  
"Now class, we left off at page 200, correct?" Miss Perna interrupted, sitting at her desk. The bell had rung a few minutes ago.  
  
Izumi raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Hinako?" Miss Perna questioned, glaring at her wickedly.  
  
"I wasn't here yesterday, so may I take a book home to read?" Izumi asked.  
  
"Yes, you may take the book home to read, but for now, you have to leave the classroom, because I don't want you hearing the ending," Miss Perna replied, now nice and lovely.  
  
Izumi noticed this as she walked up to the front of the room. Miss Perna signed her a pass and said, "Go down to Miss Wertz class and give her this. She'll let you stay there until we're done with the book. One of the students will come and get you."  
  
Izumi nodded in understanding and walked out the door.  
  
She walked down the hallway in silence, wondering if Miss Wertz was nice.  
  
She found the door to Miss Wertz's room and opened it.  
  
Kids started staring at her, but she didn't take notice. She walked with a smile to Miss Wertz's desk and gave her the note.  
  
"Well, Miss Hinako, is it?" Miss Wertz asked politely. "You can have a seat at the back of the room for right now dear. You may do whatever you wish in your time here."  
  
"Arigatou, Miss Wertz," Izumi replied and then walked to the back of the class and sat down. She got out her notebook from her pocket and started drawing.  
  
Her newest work was a girl about 15 years old with long brown hair and brown eyes. She had never drawn a person before, so she wanted it to be perfect. She had been drawing this one for a month already.  
  
~****15 Minutes Later****~  
  
The door to the classroom opened and Tetsuya stood there. "Izumi can come back to class now," he said solemnly.  
  
Izumi got up from her seat at the back of the room after putting her drawing notebook away and walked up to the front of the class. "Thank you for having me for this short time, Miss Wertz," Izumi said sweetly.  
  
"It was a pleasure having you," Miss Wertz replied and Izumi and Tetsuya left the room.  
  
"So, is Miss Wertz nice?" Tetsuya asked Izumi.  
  
"Hai, real nice, in fact," Izumi answered. Tetsuya looked up at Izumi from looking at the floor. He just noticed the scars still left on her face from The Sword. Tetsuya looked down again, ashamed of not being able to help her.  
  
"It wasn't your fault, Tetsuya," Izumi said randomly. They were walking down the hall slowly. "It was my own fault for not calling someone to help me out. I knew you guys were at school already and I had no idea where Kero was. I'm sorry for making you worry."  
  
Izumi had her face looking towards the floor, but Tetsuya could perfectly see the tears falling down her cheeks. "Don't cry, Izumi," Tetsuya replied. Izumi looked up at him only to see him looking down. "Everyone makes mistakes. And that wasn't just your fault, it was all of our faults."  
  
"I guess you're right," Izumi replied, jut before they opened the door to Miss Perna's classroom.  
  
"I'm glad you two could join us," Miss Perna said with a grin.  
  
'She must be having a good day,' Izumi thought as she and Tetsuya walked to their desks.  
  
(a/n: Nothing else interesting happens in that class so I'm skipping to lunch.)  
  
~****Lunch****~  
  
"Tetsuya, do you think we could do skating after school today for our hours this week?" Izumi asked as her and Tetsuya came out of the building.  
  
"Are you sure you're up to it?" Tetsuya asked. "I mean you did just get out of the hospital."  
  
"So?" Izumi asked. "I skated to school today and I was fine."  
  
Izumi ran over to a table to meet Tomoyo, leaving Tetsuya standing there looking after her.  
  
"Looks like someone has a crush," a voice said from behind Tetsuya.  
  
"I do not have a crush on Izumi, Yamazaki," Tetsuya replied, turning around to face him.  
  
"That's what I said before Chiharu and I got together," he replied and smiled.  
  
Tetsuya glared at him before they both went over to where the girls were sitting.  
  
~****Izumi From When She Left Tetsuya****~  
  
"Hey Izumi!" Tomoyo yelled as Izumi rushed over. "Having fun with your crush?"  
  
"What?" Izumi asked as she sat down.  
  
"You like Tetsuya as more than a friend," Meiling pointed out.  
  
"No, I don't," Izumi said, surprised and confused.  
  
"Then why do you blush around him?" Rika asked. All the other girls nodded in reply to the question, signaling it would stump her.  
  
"Tetsuya is only a friend to me, guys," Izumi said just before Tetsuya and Yamazaki joined the girls at their table.  
  
Tetsuya and Yamazaki brought up chairs to the end of the table because the girls were sitting at the end. Yamazaki sat beside Chiharu who was across from Izumi. Tetsuya sat beside Izumi who was next to Tomoyo who was next to Rika who was diagonal from Naoko who sat across from Tomoyo.  
  
"So what are you and Chris doing for your hours this week?" Izumi asked Tomoyo.  
  
"We haven't figured it out yet," Tomoyo replied. "But at the end of the school year, we're going to my estate on the island off the coast to spend the weekend there. Do you and Tetsuya want to come?"  
  
"That'd be wonderful!" Izumi said. "I've never been anywhere but here and Tokyo!"  
  
"Let me make you an outfit then!" Tomoyo screamed for joy.  
  
"Oh," Izumi realized something, "do you mind, Tetsuya?" She turned toward Tetsuya.  
  
"No, I don't mind," Tetsuya answered.  
  
All the girls walked off giggling and squealing and stuff, leaving Tetsuya and Yamazaki alone at the table.  
  
"You're only going to that island to be alone with Izumi," Yamazaki said sneakily.  
  
"I am not," Tetsuya backfired.  
  
"I know you are," Yamazaki said. And with that, Yamazaki left the table.  
  
'Like I could ever like Izumi as more than just a friend,' Tetsuya thought. 'Although, she did look good in that outfit of Tomoyo's creation.' He paused his thought. 'No, I do NOT like her like that!'  
  
~****Social Studies Class****~  
  
(a/n: I know Syaoran didn't start liking Sakura this early, but I was getting bored with it, so I made it like that. Remember, I'm the author!)  
  
"Staying on an island resort for an entire weekend!" Izumi squealed. "It's heaven!"  
  
Tomoyo just smiled knowingly at Izumi's squealing and giggling.  
  
Tetsuya walked in just before the bell rang. He walked to his seat solemnly and Izumi knew something was wrong.  
  
"Okay class," Mr. Kreminess said. "Get with your partners and start planning! Today, we're getting our first expenses or incomes."  
  
Izumi turned around right away, while the class was moving, and said, "I know something is wrong, what is it?"  
  
"I just remembered something!" Tetsuya said, not paying attention to Izumi. He dug threw his backpack until he pulled out a booklet. "This is my story. It's kind of crazy, but I hope you'll like it."  
  
Izumi smiled and took the booklet. "Arigatou, Tetsuya!" Izumi said and kissed him on the cheek before getting up and going to Mr. Kreminess's desk to ask him about the weekend on Tomoyo's island.  
  
Tetsuya sat there, wide-eyed. 'Does she like me?' Tetsuya asked. 'But it was only on the cheek, but still! Come on! Jeez, why is life so hard?' Tetsuya sighed and dropped it out of his mind, for now.  
  
'Why was that so hard?' Izumi asked herself as she walked up to Mr. Kreminess's desk. 'I guess it is hard kissing your best friend on the cheek. Oh well!'  
  
"Mr. Kreminess, Tomoyo has this island off the coast and she was thinking of inviting Tetsuya and I with her and Chris when they go, is that okay?" Izumi asked with a smile.  
  
"I think it'll be fine," Mr. Kreminess replied.  
  
"Thanks," Izumi replied and went back to her seat. She turned around to face Tetsuya, who was no longer at all thinking about Izumi's kiss on the cheek.  
  
Mr. Kreminess had everyone pick from a hat of incomes and expenses. Izumi picked out, 'Win the lottery! +$500.' Tetsuya got, 'Had to buy diapers for the kids. -$50.' That resulted in Tetsuya asking, "We have kids?" and the whole class laughing. Tomoyo picked, 'Got promoted! +$300.' Chris got, 'Got fired! -$100 and job.' That means that he has to pick a new job at the end of the week. Everyone worked until the end of class when the bell rang, dismissing them.  
  
Izumi was packing her things when a feeling struck her. She looked over at Tetsuya. It struck him too. "Another Clow Card," Tetsuya said and raced out of the room with Izumi right behind him.  
  
While passing through the hallway, Izumi caught sight of Tomoyo and Meiling and grabbed them, dragging them out the door.  
  
"There aren't any kids around," Izumi said. "But I can feel it's close." She took off the key around her neck and said:  
  
"Oh Key of Clow,  
  
Power of magic, power of light,  
  
Surrender the wand,  
  
The force ignite.  
  
Release!"  
  
Izumi's wand grew and she grabbed it in mid air. "I wonder what card it is," Meiling questioned.  
  
"It could be any of them, maybe even two again," Tomoyo replied, videotaping the whole thing.  
  
Suddenly, the wind caught up. "Windy?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
A huge pink bird-like thing flew over them. "If Windy is a huge bird, then yes, but if not, then no," Izumi said.  
  
"It's Fly!" Tomoyo responded.  
  
"Okay, Fly then," Izumi replied. "Sword Card! Release and Dispel! Sword!"  
  
Izumi wand turned into a sword and she held it at ready. "DASH Card! JUMP Card! Release and Dispel! DASH! JUMP!"  
  
Wings appeared on her shoes. She jumped into the air with super speed. Fly saw her and flapped its wings, sending out a burst of wind, which sent Izumi flying.  
  
"Izumi!" Tomoyo shouted.  
  
"Windy is inside of Fly!" Tetsuya yelled. "They're working together!"  
  
Izumi had jumped back up into the air after regaining her strength. "You will fall!" Izumi shouted. A glow of light appeared as she swung her sword at Fly.  
  
Fly and Windy separated after getting a blow like that. "Windy! Fly! Jump! Sword! Dash! Return to your power confined! SWORD, FLY, JUMP, DASH, WINDY!"  
  
Izumi sealed al the cards she used again and caught them. Two more cards added to her collection or were they?  
  
Izumi got an angry look in her eyes as she held the cards she just captured.  
  
Tetsuya, Tomoyo, and Meiling ran up to Izumi. "Another kawaii capture!" Tomoyo said as she put her camera away.  
  
"But how?" Tetsuya asked.  
  
Izumi got a little nervous. "How what?"  
  
"How was it that easy?" Tetsuya asked. "Windy is powerful alone and with Fly, near unstoppable."  
  
"I guess I'm just a tad more powerful than it," Izumi replied, smiling at Tetsuya. But for some reason, this just didn't make Tetsuya blush. (a/n: HINT, HINT! Is anyone getting my hints??? Please tell me someone is!)  
  
Tomoyo looked at Tetsuya strange and then looked at Izumi strange too, but decided to put it off for a while. "I have to go to the ice cream parlor with Chris now, so I'll be seeing you," Tomoyo said, walking away. "Call me when you get home, Izumi!" She waved good-bye to everyone as they waved good-bye to her.  
  
"I have to go too," Meiling said, waving good-bye to Tetsuya and Izumi.  
  
"See you later, Meiling," Izumi replied.  
  
So, it was just Tetsuya and Izumi now. "Just let me go home and get my skates, so we can go."  
  
"Of course," Izumi replied, "and I'll teach you everything I know." Izumi smiled at him again and Tetsuya just realized that all of Izumi's cuts and bruises were gone. He got wide-eyed, but didn't say anything and maybe it was just a freak accident.  
  
So, Izumi ran inside to get her skates and came back out, slipping. She fell on her butt before she got five feet.  
  
"Are you okay?" Tetsuya asked.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine!" Izumi replied.  
  
"I thought you could skate?" Tetsuya asked as he helped her up.  
  
"Yea, I can, I just accidentally tripped over something," Izumi answered.  
  
"Maybe we should put it off until tomorrow," Tetsuya answered.  
  
"No, I can skate!" Izumi said with a puppy dog face.  
  
"But, you just fought two Clow Cards," Tetsuya replied. "And I have to get home."  
  
"Fine, but tomorrow we skate," Izumi said forcefully and skated out of the schoolyard.  
  
'What was that all about?' Tetsuya asked himself as he walked out of the schoolyard.  
  
~****The Forest Right by the Schoolyard****~  
  
A girl opened her emerald eyes a little at a time. She stood up after a while with her arm aching, but she knew she had to go back to the schoolyard.  
  
She got there a few minutes later and noticed two kids standing there talking. She widened her eyes at them. 'B-but that's me,' she thought, 'and Tetsuya.'  
  
Izumi couldn't believe her eyes. 'What is going on?' she asked herself. 'That can't be me, but wait! It's a Clow Card! But why doesn't Tetsuya sense it?'  
  
She closed her eyes and concentrated. 'I can't even sense it, it's Mirror. When she mirrored me, she cloned my DNA as well. Me, me doesn't even exist anymore as an aura. She captured it and made it her own.'  
  
She watched at Mirror skated out of the schoolyard and not to long after, Tetsuya walked out.  
  
Izumi had the sudden urge to follow him, but denied it. She needed to heal her arm first. She took Fight out of her pocket and realized something, 'Mirror has my cards!'  
  
'No way could this be happening!' Izumi thought. She sat down against a tree and accidentally fell asleep.  
  
~****Izumi's House****~  
  
Izumii (a/n: Okay, I don't know how I'll get this to work, but I'm going to have Izumi be Izumi and Mirror also be Izumi, but I'll make it Izumii w/ two 'I's'. How about that???) had just gotten home from school and was way too bored.  
  
'Let's see what's on her computer,' Izumii thought. Izumii logged onto Wildfire with Izumi's password and someone IMed her right away.  
  
Lovinlife: hey Izumi!  
  
Wildfire: hey  
  
Lovinlife: not that uppity, now r we?  
  
Wildfire: tired  
  
Lovinlife: o, let's talk...how's Tetsuya? R u guys going out yet?  
  
Wildfire: fine and no  
  
Lovinlife: jeez, u r tired...well, I gtg, bye  
  
Wildfire: bye  
  
Lovinlife has signed off.  
  
Izumii closed the IM and let the computer sit there while she went to take a shower.  
  
When she returned, her cell phone rang. She picked it up and said, "Hello?"  
  
"Izumi, where are you?" Tomoyo asked. "Tetsuya is fighting this card all alone!"  
  
"A Clow Card?" Izumii asked.  
  
"Yes!" Tomoyo replied. "Didn't you sense it?"  
  
"No, I didn't, but I'll be there right away!" Izumii replied and hung up her phone. She got dressed in the outfit Tomoyo had given her in school that day and ran outside towards the park.  
  
'Another Clow Card,' Izumii thought. 'This is too easy.'  
  
~****Izumi****~  
  
Izumi felt a shock pass through her body and she woke, startled. 'A Clow Card,' she thought and ran towards Penguin Park.  
  
She arrived not too long after and hid in the bushes right beyond the fence to watch Tetsuya battle The Power Card all alone.  
  
Izumi took out The Fight Card. She held it up in front of her face. "Please, Fight," Izumi whispered. "Give me the strength and the costume to battle The Power Card and not be recognized by the others."  
  
The Fight Card glowed and surrounded Izumi with a ray of light. When the light was gone, Izumi stood there, a sword in her right hand. She wore a pink battle suit that looked exactly like Tetsuya's green one that he wore then, except for the thing that covered Izumi's face so she wouldn't be recognized.  
  
Izumi saw that Mirror had just shown up and was trying to capture Power. Izumi jumped into the nearest tree and climbed to the top.  
  
Power was just about to hit Tetsuya when he was down, but Izumi threw her sword at it, which barely missed. Izumi jumped down and everyone stared at her.  
  
"And no one told me about this fight?" Izumi said, looking hurt.  
  
"Who are you?" Tetsuya asked, now up on his feet. Power just stood there, looking at Izumi.  
  
Izumi didn't answer his question, but instead, grabbed her sword from the ground and aimed it at Power.  
  
"I may not have the power to seal you, but I can turn the odds in their favor," Izumi said to Power and winked.  
  
Izumii couldn't stand much more of this. "Who said we needed your help?" Izumii asked meanly.  
  
"I can see that you don't," Izumi answered, keeping her sword on Power. Then, she took her sword away from Power and shielded it in her belt. "If you want to battle Power so badly, then go ahead, but don't think it's because you're a good fighter, because I know you're not."  
  
Izumii gave her the meanest look available. One the other hand, Izumi jumped back into the air, disappearing in the trees.  
  
Izumii raised her wand at Power and said, "Return to your power confined, Power Card!" And slammed her wand down at it, but Power jumped back and landed on her feet again.  
  
Power shook her head at Izumii, looking like she was sad.  
  
Tomoyo and Meiling were watching the whole fight and were totally confused by it. Kero flew over to Izumii. "What in the world are you doing?" Kero asked. "Capture it the right way."  
  
Izumii ran towards Power and tried to seal it again, but had no luck, whatsoever. Power still shook her head at Izumii.  
  
Then, there was clapping heard. Izumi walked out of the woods, clapping for Power. "Power, thank you," Izumi said. Power looked at her and smiled. Power jumped at Izumii and grabbed the wand off her. She, then, ran and gave it to Izumi.  
  
Izumii looked astonished. "Power Card! Return to your power confined! Power!" Izumi yelled and Power went into her card.  
  
Izumi walked over and stood in front of Izumii. "Never can you take the place of me," Izumi said to Izumii. "This is for your own good, you know. Mirror Card! Fight Card! Return to your power confined! Mirror, Fight!" Izumii changed into her normal form and then into a card, while Izumi glowed, releasing the power of Fight from within her. Fight turned back into a card, too.  
  
When Izumi had stopped glowing, she looked over at Tetsuya, Kero, Tomoyo, and Meiling. They all just stared at her.  
  
"I know I'm not the only one who wants to hear this story!" Meiling said and ran over to Izumi, wanting the story told. Everyone else ran over to her as she picked up the cards that Mirror had when it was Izumii.  
  
Izumi sighed and told her friends all about the happenings before tonight and how she got to figure out that Mirror was pretending to be her to get the cards back.  
  
"But how did you control Power?" Tetsuya asked.  
  
Izumi smiled, knowing he would ask that question. "I captured it earlier and let it out so that you guys could chase after it," Izumi replied. "I had Power make her aura weaker so you guys could sense it."  
  
"How did you catch it without your wand?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Just like I controlled Fight," Izumi answered. "Hope, belief, strength, all the things that you need to capture a Clow Card. You don't necessarily need a wand to capture a Clow Card. All you need is a heart."  
  
"Now that is a statement of a Card Mistress!" Meiling squealed with delight.  
  
"I have to admit, you've come a long way, Izumi, and with these cards coming within a few hours or days, it's going to get tough, but you're hanging in there," Kero said, smiling.  
  
Izumi returned the smile and realized that she was actually getting better at this Cardcapting business. Maybe this was her calling. Maybe it wasn't. Who knows really, anyway? All that matters is the Clow Cards.  
  
Izumi, just realizing something, asked Tetsuya, "Did you, by any chance, go skating without me?"  
  
Tetsuya shook his head. "I cancelled it after the whole Windy and Fly Card thing," Tetsuya replied.  
  
"Want to go now?" Izumi asked. "I mean, spending a few hours sleeping in the woods really helped my strength out and fighting Power was just a good workout."  
  
"Sure, we can go now, if you want to," Tetsuya replied.  
  
"Hey Izumi, I was just wondering, how many cards is that now?" Meiling asked.  
  
"How many what?" Izumi asked, confused.  
  
"Clow Cards," Tomoyo explained.  
  
"Oh, uh-well, there's Fight, Jump, Windy, Sword, Dash, Mirror, Fly, and Power," Izumi answered.  
  
"That's eight," Tomoyo said, "out of 53. We've got a long way to go."  
  
"Yea, but it'll fun while it lasts," Izumi replied. "But what happens when it's over? What happens to the cards? What happens to us?"  
  
Kero shook his head. "I don't know, Izumi, I don't know," he said quietly.  
  
Izumi sighed. "Well, we had better get going if we want to skate. It is getting late," Izumi said.  
  
"All right," Tetsuya said and took his skates out of his backpack, where he had put them for tomorrow. Izumi also took her skates out of her backpack.  
  
"Wait a second," Izumi said, "why do you have skates when you don't know how to skate?"  
  
"My mom said that I needed them for something," Tetsuya attempted, hoping that she would believe him.  
  
"Oh," Izumi replied when she got her skates on. She stood up, waiting for Tetsuya.  
  
"We're going to be going, Izumi," Meiling said, pushing Tomoyo along. "We've got loads to do!"  
  
"All right! See you both later!" Izumi shouted and waved after them. "I never thought I'd ever miss them that much."  
  
"Huh?" Tetsuya asked when he got his skates on. He stood up, so he was level with Izumi.  
  
"I mean, after me taking The Clow Cards away. It's just weird," Izumi said, the wind blowing at her hair.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tetsuya asked. He skated over to Izumi. Izumi turned around and gave him 'the look.'  
  
"Don't know how to skate, huh?" Izumi asked and smiled wickedly at Tetsuya.  
  
A presence hit them right then. 'Darn it!' Izumi thought and looked around. "A real Clow Card is here," Izumi said to Tetsuya. Tetsuya nodded.  
  
Izumi still had the costume Fight had given her and Tetsuya was still wearing his green costume so they were ready for any threat that hit them.  
  
The thing was nothing moved, nothing even made a sound. "I do not like this," Izumi said, scared. "It's creepy." She shuddered.  
  
"Just stay alert," Tetsuya replied, his eyes edgy. He looked everywhere around him. "Okay, this is way too strange." He looked around once more.  
  
Izumi agreed with him and called upon her wand:  
  
"Oh, Key of Clow,  
  
Power of magic, power of light,  
  
Surrender the wand,  
  
The force ignite.  
  
Release!"  
  
Izumi's key turned into her wand. She grabbed it in mid-air and put it to the ground. Tetsuya called upon his sword. "I don't get it, why isn't anything moving?" Izumi asked, confused.  
  
"I don't know, do think this is the Clow Card?" Tetsuya asked. Suddenly, Kero rustled in Izumi's bag and Izumi opened it. Kero flew out and gasped.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?" Kero yelled at Izumi. "SUFFOCATE ME?"  
  
"Gomen, Kero, a Clow Card is here, but we don't know where," Izumi told Kero.  
Kero looked around and thought. Then his eyes lit up. "It's Time!" Kero yelled, snapping his fingers. (a/n: well, if he had any)  
  
"Time?" Izumi asked. 'That could be a cool Clow Card,' Izumi thought to herself. 'Going forward in time could be the coolest thing ever!' She smiled at the thought.  
  
"How do we capture it?" Tetsuya asked Kero.  
  
"Hold your horses, you brat," Kero said and thought about it. Tetsuya stopped abruptly and blinked at Kero, confused at this reaction. Izumi just looked from one to another and then shrugged her shoulders, giving up.  
  
Kero soon got an idea. "We have to make it turn into its true form or everyone will be frozen in time forever," Kero said. Izumi stared at him shocked and Tetsuya breathed a deep breath and got ready for a tough battle with this Clow Card.  
  
Izumi closed her eyes and thought to herself, 'I don't get it. Why is this happening to me? Why does everything always happen to me? What's wrong with me? Did I do something wrong in life? How did all this happen?' Silent tears flowed down her cheeks.  
  
Tetsuya glanced over at Izumi and saw that there were tears in her eyes. His eyes opened in shock. 'Izumi crying?' Tetsuya thought. 'I ever thought I'd see the day. This must be really hard on her, not having a normal life, capturing Clow Cards four times a week. She has it rough, especially since she's not use to it.' Tetsuya's eyes got into a sorry face as he looked at Izumi. 'She deserves to have a normal life, at least somewhat.'  
  
Suddenly, a glow emanated from a nearby tree. They all turned toward it, braced for battle. It came out of the forest and zoomed right past them. It stood behind them and they all turned around to face it. It was Time, a tall man in a long cloak stood there with an hourglass in his hands. He had long ears and long white hair.  
  
Izumi glared at the card. She ran and jumped at it, trying to capture it with her wand, "Time Card! Return to your power confined! TIME!"  
  
Just as she was coming down, Tetsuya noticed Time doing something with his hourglass and it glowed with the sand inside going down. "NO IZUMI, STOP!!!!!!!!" he shouted, but it was no use, Izumi hadn't even reached Time when it cast a powerful blow at her and it engulfed her.  
  
Kero knew that Time couldn't hurt Izumi, but he could make her go into any time and place he wanted in the future, preferably a place that she hated more than anything.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
DO NOT KILL ME FOR MAKING THIS A SHORT CHAPTER! IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO THINK UP! I kind of based the experiences on things that happened in real life to me, a little of it at least...R&R! 


	6. Another Time

Another Chance

By: Snow Horse

I don't own CCS, the all powerful and mighty CLAMP does. sighs But I do own this computer!!!!!!! grabs computer MINE!!!!!!!!!! And the keyboard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?

Key: "talking"

'thinking'

scene change

(a/n: author's note)

Chapter 5

Another Time

Izumi's eyes burst open. She was breathing hard, but she knew she had to capture Time! Izumi stopped when she looked around. She was definitely not at Penguin Park anymore.

Izumi glanced around and looked totally confused. "Huh?" she asked. She was in a beautiful pink room that was twice the size of her room at home. The bed was in the corner and it was magnificent with light pink satin sheets with a beautiful glow in the dark pink pillow. The walls had pictures of people that she had no idea who they were until she came across one picture she recognized.

She crawled out of bed and walked over to the picture. She took it off the hook. It was of her and Tetsuya. She was in a strange outfit, probably one of Tomoyo's creations, and Tetsuya had on his Chinese outfit. Izumi didn't understand it, she never wore any outfit like that and she never remembered taking that picture, but it was surely her now, a 10 year old genki girl.

Izumi looked around some more and saw a desk in the room with a huge flat-screen computer on it with tons of disks and papers. She walked over to it and looked at the papers. They all had her name on them. She also saw a picture of a beautiful girl singing into a microphone on the desk. The girl looked about 20 years old and not that full of energy. 'I wonder why I have this girl's picture,' Izumi asked herself.

Izumi put the picture back on the desk and turned her head to the right, only to come to face a strange thing. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the image. She touched the surface and it was cold. 'A mirror?' Izumi asked herself. 'How-?'

She was staring at a 26-year-old woman with long flowing auburn hair and emerald eyes that shone brightly. She wore a pink silk night dress and her figure was tall and skinny. Her legs were the perfect size, her feet not that big, and her arms weren't too long.

"Oh my gosh," Izumi whispered to herself. She turned away from the mirror. "This is all a dream! Yea, a dream! When I turned back around, I'll be my 10 year old genki self! Okay!" She slowly turned to face the mirror and to her horror, the woman was still there. She screamed as loud as she could.

Izumi crawled into a ball with her head in her hands, crying. She heard someone open the door and come into the room. The person put their hands on Izumi's shoulders and Izumi looked up. Izumi widened her eyes. "Tomoyo?" Izumi asked.

"What's wrong Izumi?" the older Tomoyo asked. She had long flowing violet hair that had a blue bow in it. Her amethyst eyes sparkled in the sunlight. She was wearing a beautiful blue spring dress that had tank top straps. It was down to her knees.

"Tomoyo, what happened?" Izumi asked, wiping her tears and getting up, facing Tomoyo. "You're old and so am I!"

Tomoyo giggled. "You're not old, Izumi," she said. "You're as old as you feel inside. We have the best years of our lives ahead of us with you being the most famous singer in all of Japan."

"I'm what?" Izumi asked.

"The best singer in all of Japan," Tomoyo replied. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?" Tomoyo put her hand on Izumi's forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"Tomoyo, I-I-I'm not-uh-this old," Izumi told Tomoyo. "The last thing I remember was fighting the Time Card! I don't remember ever growing up or taking that picture, ever!" She pointed to the picture of her and Tetsuya at age 10.

Tomoyo's eyes softened. "I remember that day the best out of any day of my life," Tomoyo said. "You guys were fighting the Dark Card and Tetsuya insisted on doing it alone instead of you getting turned dark. You, of course, wouldn't hear any of it, but he didn't listen and Dark turned him against you."

Izumi's eyes shook. 'I can't believe I missed that,' Izumi thought. "What happened next?"

"You broke Dark's curse with the Light Card that you somehow obtained in that moment," Tomoyo said. "It was really good timing, because he was about to kill you."

Izumi suddenly felt a pang. 'Okay, strange,' Izumi thought. "Uh-Tomoyo, did I capture all the Clow Cards?" she asked.

"Yes, you did that before high school started, don't you remember taking the final test and Eriol at all?" Tomoyo asked.

"Eriol? Who's Eriol?" Izumi asked, totally confused.

Tomoyo laughed. "Izumi, just get dressed," Tomoyo said. "You have that big interview today." Tomoyo started to walk out.

"Wait, Tomoyo," Izumi said and Tomoyo stopped. "Um-where is Tetsuya?"

Izumi had her head down and Tomoyo couldn't tell, but she was blushing furiously. "I don't know, we haven't spoken to him in forever," Tomoyo answered. "He's probably really successful now."

Tomoyo left the room and Izumi fell to her knees. 'What in the world is happening?' Izumi thought. 'I haven't talked to Tetsuya in that long? I don't even know where he is or anything about him! He could be married already, for goodness sakes!'

Izumi stood up and looked at the closet near the wall. It was huge! Izumi opened it and her jaw dropped. It was the biggest walk-in closet she had ever seen. A smile crept across her face and she started looking for the perfect outfit.

She had found it! It was a beautiful light pink skirt with a tank top that was pink too. She looked at herself in the mirror. 'Perfect!' she thought and jumped for joy, being her genki self.

Izumi grabbed a pink purse and rushed down the stairs and outside into the bright sunlight. Tomoyo was waiting for her outside a limo. Izumi squealed as she got in beside Tomoyo.

"What's with you today?" Tomoyo asked. "You haven't been this happy in ten years!"

"Well, I have a lot of things to be happy for!" Izumi said and then realized something. "By the way, who's interviewing me?"

"The Editor in Chief of this magazine," Tomoyo said. "They want you on the cover with an interview in the magazine."

"Me on the cover of a magazine!?" Izumi squealed. "WOW!"

"You don't have to get all worked up about it," Tomoyo said. "You've been on covers before and on better magazines too."

"Really?" Izumi asked.

"Of course you have!" Tomoyo said and laughed. They had arrived at the tallest tower Izumi had ever seen. "Well, here we are, and don't forget, you've been interviewed before, so they can't get to you if you don't want to answer their questions."

"Okay," Izumi said, frightened and Tomoyo pushed her out of the limo.

"Have fun!" Tomoyo yelled, the limo driving away. Izumi just stood there. She looked up at the tall building and instantly breathed in deep. She breathed out and walked into the building.

The lady at the front desk saw her walk in and instantly walked over. "We've been expecting you," the lady said and led her down the hall, heads peeking out of their cubby holes. Izumi blushed at all the attention. She wasn't expecting this much, but still she was the best singer in all of Japan.

The lady finally stopped at a door to a big office and told the secretary there that Izumi needed to see the Editor in Chief. "Of course," the secretary said and pressed a button on the intercom. "Miss Hinako is here to see you sir."

"Send her in," the voice on the other line said and Izumi gulped. His voice seemed really cold and not too friendly. The lady opened the door and pushed her into the Editor in Chief's office. What Izumi didn't know was that the secretary and her were listening at the door.

The Editor in Chief's chair was turned the opposite way, not facing Izumi and she sat in the chair opposite him, but not facing him. (a/n: get it? it's like they're across from each other, but his chair is turned around.) She wasn't ever more scared in her life.

"So, Miss Hinako," the cold voice said and Izumi shivered, "you have an interview today with our company to be on the cover of 'Cherry Blossoms?'"

"Yes, I suppose so," Izumi answered, trying to be as polite as she could.

The man laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. It was a 'that was funny' laugh. He turned his chair around. The man had messy chestnut hair and cold amber eyes. He was dressed in an all black suit. 'Wait a second,' Izumi thought, 'I know that look.'

"Not all singers are as polite as you," the man said. "I am the Editor in Chief here."

Izumi suddenly didn't feel scared anymore and jumped out of her seat. "Wow, you're an Editor in Chief!" Izumi said. "Tomoyo was right! You did become successful!" She smiled at him and he suddenly blushed deeply.

"I certainly don't know who you are talking about," the man said, but his head was screaming, 'Tomoyo? The Tomoyo? Tomoyo and wait, no, I thought there could be a lot of Hinakos, but she can't be!'

Izumi's eyes saddened. "You aren't him, are you?" Izumi asked. "I'm really sorry. Let's just get this interview over with." She sat down again, this time just plain bummed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not the one who will interview you," the man replied. "But I will be here if you need me, my name is Tetsuya Li, call on me anytime."

At the sound of his name, Izumi's eyes brightened. She looked at him and smiled. She jumped out of her seat again and said, "It is you! I knew it! This is so awesome!"

Tetsuya just looked at her confused. 'Okay, I know there might be some other Hinakos in the world, but come on!' he thought. 'She's just like her.'

Izumi looked at him, still smiling. "It's me, Izumi Hinako!" she yelled. "Remember? The Clow Cards? Tomoyo? Meiling? Kero?"

Tetsuya's eyes widened. 'It is her,' he thought. Izumi smiled her 10 year old genki smile and Tetsuya confirmed it, it was Izumi Hinako.

"I can't believe it!" Izumi yelled. "When Tomoyo told me that we hadn't spoken in years, I almost panicked! I mean, you know exactly what happened right? You know everything, right?"

"About what?" Tetsuya asked.

"About the Time Card, of course!" Izumi shouted. "The last thing I remember was jumping at it and it let off a huge blast and then I woke up in a bed 16 years later!"

Tetsuya looked at her strangely. "What are you talking about?" Tetsuya asked. He remembered the night Time came.

16 years earlier

"NO IZUMI, STOP!!!!!!!!" Tetsuya shouted, but it was no use, Izumi hadn't even reached Time when it cast a powerful blow at her and it engulfed her.

Kero knew that Time couldn't hurt Izumi, but he could make her go into any time and place he wanted in the future, preferably a place that she hated more than anything.

When the light released, Izumi was gone. "Where is she?" Tetsuya asked Kero.

Izumi came back a few minutes later and captured Time, but nothing was the same after that.

16 years later

(a/n: This is kind of based on '13 Going On 30,' that movie that my friend and I went to see.)

Tetsuya didn't know what Izumi was talking about. He didn't even know why Izumi had stopped speaking to him.

Izumi sighed. "I guess you don't know," Izumi said. "But you can help me get back to my time, before it's too late!" Izumi smiled and looked at Tetsuya with hope.

"Izumi, I don't know what you're talking about really," Tetsuya said, getting up. "We're not friends, anymore, Izumi. We haven't been friends for over ten years."

Izumi's smile faded. "Oh," she said. Tetsuya led her out of the room and she followed behind him, her head down. 'But, but, but, oh, what's the use?' Izumi asked in her head. 'He hates me. At least I have Tomoyo-'

A voice interrupted Izumi's thoughts. "Hi Dad!" a little girl said to Tetsuya. She looked to be about 10 years old and she smiled just like Izumi always did when she was ten. She had short chestnut hair and emerald eyes. She was wearing a school girl outfit.

Tetsuya bent down on one knee and looked the little girl right in the eye. "What did I tell you about coming here? This is no place for a ten-year-old," Tetsuya said.

"But, my babysitter doesn't like me," the little girl replied. "I want a new one."

"You got a new one yesterday," Tetsuya replied, raising an eyebrow. Izumi was listening intently to their conversation. "No one will want to babysit you now that you have a reputation."

The little girl giggled. "I just want to fight like the girl in my dreams," the little girl said.

"Dreams don't mean anything, Lorie," Tetsuya replied.

"Actually, they do," Izumi interrupted. Lorie looked up at her.

"Really?" Lorie asked, excited.

Izumi nodded her head. "I used to get dreams all the time that came true," Izumi said, smiling.

Lorie squealed with delight and ran off to tell her friends that dreams can come true. Tetsuya glared at Izumi. "Why'd you tell her that?" he asked.

"So, she's your daughter? She's cute," Izumi replied.

"Yes, I adopted her after her stepparents died," Tetsuya said. "Her name's Loralyn, but everyone calls her Lorie."

Izumi sighed. "She's lucky to have someone after such a tragedy," Izumi said. They started to walk to the interviewing room.

"They say she's cursed," Tetsuya replied. "Everyone she started to love died mysteriously. That's what happened to the people she was with before her stepparents and even before them. She's had over 10 foster families."

"Is that it, then?" Izumi asked, angry. "You don't want to tell her the truth because you're afraid of dying? You're afraid to teach her to fight for herself? She is a human being and besides, her, of all people should learn how to fight."

"You don't know what's best for my daughter," Tetsuya said, angry too.

"No, I know what's best for Loralyn, something bad is going to happen unless you can prevent it, Tetsuya, but now that you're Editor in Chief, I don't think that'll be a problem," Izumi replied.

Izumi went into the interviewing room and shut the door behind her. She didn't know what she had seen in Lorie's eyes then, but she knew whatever it was, Lorie was going to have to face without Tetsuya's help.

She sat down on a blue chair and faced th desk where a woman was sitting. The thing she didn't notice was a camera in the corner of the room that led right to the Editor in Chief's office.

"Miss Hinako," the lady said. She had big glasses and short brown curly hair tied back in a hair ribbon. She was wearing a green suit with a skirt instead of pants. "My name is Lila and I will be interviewing you today. Are you ready to get started?"

Izumi wasn't all that hyper to be interviewed, but she went on with it anyway, unaware that Tetsuya was watching the whole thing.

"Now, when did you know that you wanted to become a singer?" Lila asked.

"Well, it was when I made a song on the internet and recorded it, I just wanted to do it for fun. And then, one of my friends listened to it and said that it was superb and I trusted him in that I wanted to become a singer after that," Izumi replied.

Lila went on, "Where do you get the ideas for your songs?"

"My life, of course," Izumi answered. "Everything in my songs have been somewhere in my life. I mean, shouldn't you sing songs that have meaning to them?"

Lila didn't answer but went on, "What was your childhood like?"

Izumi hesitated. "It was pretty bad and then pretty good and then pretty bad again, but what can you expect from life?"

Lila still didn't answer Izumi's question, thinking it was retorical, "What was the best moment in your life?"

Izumi stopped right there. "I don't think I can answer that," she said.

"And why not?" Lila seemed annoyed.

"The best moment in my life was when I-when I-when I had my friends and family and I was Cheerleading Captain and when life was simple and you didn't have to hide any of your feelings," Izumi replied, trying to answer the question the best she could.

Lila smiled. "I have to admit, Miss Hinako," she said. "I asked many celebrities those same questions and by far, you have had the best answers." She paused. "Do you think you could appear on our show, 'Cherry Blossoms Live?' If you did well on these questions, I had the right to ask you on it."

Izumi smiled. "Sure, I'd love to," she replied.

"It's tomorrow at 10:00am, please be here around 9:00am," she said. "The audience will ask you questions and you can sing one of your songs on stage and everything like that. Okay?"

"Okay," Izumi replied and left the room. 'Great, I have to learn a song by tomorrow,' Izumi thought. 'This will be fun.'

On her way out, Izumi ran into Lorie. "Hello Lorie," Izumi said and smiled at her.

"Hi, are you a friend of my dad's?" Lorie asked.

"No, not particularly," Izumi answered sadly. "But I will be here tomorrow for the show."

"Really?" Lorie asked. "I know all about you! You're my favorite singer in the wholw world! But your songs need more feeling in them. The ones you wrote when you were 15 were excellent."

"How about I make the song I sing tomorrow on the show just for you? I'll dedicate it to you and everything," Izumi asked.

"Wow!" Lorie said. "That'd be awesome!" She smiled wide. "Thanks for telling me that dreams can come true. My dad doesn't think so. He isn't the worst dad I've had, but he could do better if he had someone to guide him through all the parenting stuff. I think he needs to learn how to love."

Izumi smiled halfly at Lorie. "I think you're right, Lorie," Izumi said.

"He just has such a cold voice and he doesn't know how to be a parent," Lorie continued. "He thinks he can protect me from everything, but I need to do things on my own sometimes, don't you think so?"

"Yes, I do," Izumi replied. "Maybe, if your dad allows you, tomorrow I could take you out on the town for the day and I'll show you everything I like to do."

"That'd be terrific!" Lorie cried. "I'll ask him right away!" And Lorie was off like a bullet.

Izumi smiled after her and left the building. When she got outside, Tomoyo was waiting for her. "I thought we'd walk to the ice cream shop," Tomoyo said, smiling.

Izumi smiled and said, "I'd like that."

Izumi and Tomoyo walked down the street towards the ice cream shop. Izumi wanted to tell Tomoyo all about The Time Card, but she didn't think it was the right time or maybe she just couldn't tell Tomoyo.

Instead, Izumi told Tomoyo about Lorie and how they were going to spend the day together tomorrow if Tetsuya allowed.

"Lorie?" Tomoyo asked. "I've heard that name before, but where?" She paused for thought. "Oh, now I remember! Naoko was...it was her...daughter's name."

Izumi nearly choked on her ice cream. "Naoko has a daughter?" she asked.

Tomoyo looked at Izumi, almost with tears. "Why don't you remember? You were there that night when Naoko died."

Izumi dropped her ice cream. "Naoko died?" she asked, her eyes wide, tears swelling up in them.

Tomoyo was really worried about Izumi. "Are you sure you're okay?" Tomoyo asked.

"I'm fine," Izumi replied. Now she knew that she wanted to get back to her own time. She couldn't live in a world where one of her friends was dead. She may have just met Naoko in the past, but she felt that they were connected somehow.

Izumi stopped. "Tomoyo, I have to go to the park, alone, to think, okay?" Izumi asked Tomoyo.

"Of course, go ahead," Tomoyo replied. Izumi took off at a run towards Penguin Park. She was so glad that they hadn't torn it down yet. She climbed into the penguin and sat with her head on her arms. Tears were flowing down her cheeks.

'No, no, no, Naoko can't be dead,' Izumi cried inside her head.

Izumi had spent a lot of time in there. When she finished crying, she just sat there and thought. She tried to think of a way to get home. Then, it occurred to her, Time could take her back!

Izumi jumped out of the penguin and ran towards her house, thankfully, she fully looked at the address before she had left. She ran up the stairs to her room and searched through drawers. She opened them and banged them shut.

"Where are they?" Izumi asked herself.

"Where are what?" a voice asked at the door. It was Kero, staring sleepily at her.

"Kero!" Izumi cried. "Where are the Clow Cards?"

Kero flew over to her and opened the top drawer of her desk. The Book of Clow was sitting there. She opened it and looked at the cards. "What are these?" Izumi asked, holding up a pink card.

"The Izumi Cards, what else?" Kero replied and flew out of the room. "I'm going back to bed." He flew very slowly and steadily.

Izumi looked at the 'Izumi Cards.' She couldn't believe it. This was way too weird.

She decided to wait until tomorrow after her day with Lorie, so she wouldn't let her down. 'I still have to get one of my songs that I could dedicate to her,' Izumi thought.

"What could it be about?" Izumi asked herself out loud.

RRRIIINNNGGG!!!

Izumi's cell phone was ringing. Izumi grabbed her bag and opened it. She took out the phone that was ringing. It was pink with little cherry blossoms all over it. "Hello?" Izumi asked.

"Izumi," the voice on the other line said. "Ricardo here, we just talked with Hilary Duff, an American singer and she wants you to sing one of her songs in Japanese. Will you do it?"

"Hilary Duff?" Izumi asked. "I've never heard of her. Can you give me her song tonight?"

"Yes, of course," Ricardo replied. Izumi had no idea who this guy was, but she just went along with it. "I'll fax it to you."

"Okay," Izumi replied and hung up the phone. Right when she pressed the 'off' button, there was a sound from behind her. She jumped and looked at what was making that sound. It was the fax machine. She got the paper and mentally told the guy 'thanks.'

She looked it over. "Now this is a song I can work with," Izumi said out loud. She laid down on her bed, singing the words.

The Next Morning

"And here's Izumi Hinako's new hit, Help!" the voice on the radio said. Izumi hit it before the song could start. She groaned as she got out of bed. Her old singing was horrible and she wanted to change that. It had no feeling, so she would give feeling to it.

Izumi get a shower and got dressed in a beautiful pink halter top and flared out pink pants. She put her long hair up in a ponytail and smiled as she looked herself over in the mirror. She winked at herself and said, "Today's the day they see the new Izumi Hinako."

She really liked who she turned out to be, well somewhat. She didn't like the fact that she wasn't friends with Tetsuya anymore, but she did like the fact that she was beautiful and a great singer.

She grabbed a pink purse and walked out of her room and into the elevator. She looked at her watch and realized that for once in her life, she would be on time. It was only 8:50am. Izumi smiled as she got in her limo and told the driver where to go. She arrived at the tv station at exactly 9:00am.

"Well, Miss Hinako, right on time," the lady at the front desk said. Izumi smiled and the lady walked her backstage. There, Lila met her and smiled sweetly.

"Hello, Miss Hinako," Lila said. "I'll be going over today's schedule with you, okay?"

"Okay," Izumi replied, not thinking it would take too long. But they had to give Izumi every little detail about everything! She had to know how to walk on the stage and sit down even. The only thing they didn't tell her how to do was sing and dance. Izumi was exceptionally happy about that. It took about 45 minutes for the whole thing and then Izumi had to help get the music ready for her song.

At 10:00am exactly, the show started. "Welcome to another day of Cherry Blossoms Live! I'm Lila Thomas," Lila said. She was wearing a different style suit than yesterday, but it was still a suit and a blue suit as well.

"And I'm Jennifer Hawkins," the other girl said. She had short red hair that was in two pig tails and small glasses on with blue eyes. She was wearing the same style suit as Lila, but hers was purple.

They were both sitting on comfortable chairs in the middle of the stage and looked exactly how a talk show was supposed to look like. Izumi imagined it just like how it was.

"Today we'll be having a special guest," Lila said and smiled to the camera.

Jennifer smiled as she said, "We'll be talking to Izumi Hinako, one of the most famous girls in the world and she might even be singing for us."

The crowd cheered and for once, Izumi felt that she really did belong here. "Come on out, Izumi!" Lila yelled and that was Izumi's cue to walk on stage. She smiled and waved to the screaming crowd as she walked past. Izumi sat in the chair beside Lila. "So, Izumi, which song will you be singing for us today?"

"Well, my-uh-friend told me that Hilary Duff, an American singer wanted me to sing one of her songs in Japanese, because it'd be better to have someone actually sing it in Japanese rather than to translate it. I will be singing that song today," Izumi told them.

They started asked Izumi tons of questions and Izumi had answers for all of them. About a half hour later, they wanted Izumi to sing her song. Izumi smiled and hoped that she could do it right. Lila and Jennifer left the stage and Izumi walked in front of the crowd with one of those headphone mics.

"I wanted to dedicate this new song to my newest friend, Lorie," Izumi said before the music started and she started to sing:

Let's go back

Back to the beginning

Back to when the earth, the sun, the stars all aligned

'Cause perfect didn't feel so perfect

Trying to fit a square into a circle

Was no life

I defy

CHORUS:

Let the rain fall down

And wake my dreams

Let it wash away

My sanity

'Cause I wanna feel the thunder

I wanna scream

Let the rain fall down

I'm coming clean, I'm coming clean

I'm shedding

Shedding every color

Trying to find a pigment of truth

Beneath my skin

'Cause different

Doesn't feel so different

And going out is better

Than always staying in

Feel the wind

CHORUS

I'm coming clean

Let the rain fall

Let the rain fall

I'm coming clean

CHORUS

Let's go back

Back to the beginning

Izumi stopped singing and a few seconds later, the music stopped. Everyone cheered and screamed. It was almost like a concert. Izumi was proud of herself. She never knew people would like her this much! Izumi waved and walked off stage, smiling her 10 year old genki girl smile.

Lila and Jennifer walked out on stage. "And that was our show folks!" Jennifer yelled. "Hope to see you again tomorrow!" They walked off the stage and the show was over.

Lorie ran up to Izumi right after the show and into her arms. "That was great!" she yelled at Izumi. "You really had feeling that time! It was just as good as the old ones!"

"Thanks Lorie," Izumi replied, her eyes softening from the shock.

"My dad said yes after I begged him for about 3 hours," Lorie said. "So, where are we going now?"

Lorie was now out of Izumi's hug. Izumi put her arm around Lorie. "I'll take you to the place where I met your father," Izumi replied.

"His office?" Lorie asked, confused.

"No, I was childhood friends with your father," Izumi answered. "We first met in Penguin Park."

Flashback

"You're a good singer," a voice said from the right of Izumi. She sat straight up and looked at the person who talked to her. It was a chestnut haired boy with amber orbs.

"I don't need your compliments," Izumi replied and stood up, walking away from him.

"I didn't mean to offend you or anything," the boy said, walking up to Izumi and staying at her speed. "I just think you'd be a great singer."

Izumi stopped and turned toward him. Emerald orbs met amber as she looked at his eyes. Even though it was dark, she could still see them perfectly.

Izumi quickly turned away and said, "Thanks, I guess."

"My name is Tetsuya," the boy started. As soon as he said that, Izumi turned her head toward him and stared wide-eyed and then turned angry. Tetsuya saw this and immediately asked, "What's the matter?"

"I can't believe you even came here!" Izumi yelled at Tetsuya and then turned her back toward him and crossed her arms. "After what you did, you came anyway?"

"Izumi?" Tetsuya asked, astonished.

"Who did you think it was?" Izumi yelled as she twirled around.

"I had to come here to say that I was sorry!" Tetsuya yelled back.

"You're sorry?" Izumi asked, lowering her voice.

"Hai, gomen," Tetsuya said and bowed his head to make sure she knew he was sorry.

Tetsuya looked up at Izumi and their eyes met again. Izumi quickly turned away, not wanting to show any weakness to Tetsuya.

"I accept your apology," Izumi replied and smiled. Maybe she would start being her old self, tomorrow...

End of Flashback

Izumi laughed. She remembered that day perfectly, because in her old life, it was only a few days ago. "I met him when I was your age," Izumi continued.

"Why aren't you friends anymore?" Lorie asked.

"I don't know," Izumi replied.

"Was my father always a control freak?" Lorie asked as they stepped outside the building. Izumi laughed.

"He wasn't as much of a control freak when he was ten, but still a little controlling," Izumi answered.

"I hate my father," Lorie replied. "He never lets me do anything. I wish you adopted me instead of him."

"Like you said before, Lorie," Izumi said. "He just needs to be able to experience what he had so long ago." Izumi face saddened.

"You like him, don't you?" Lorie asked suspicously.

Izumi blushed. "I-I do not, not as more than a friend, not now at least," Izumi replied just as they were going into Penguin Park. "But I do miss him the way he was, before we grew apart."

Lorie smiled sadly. She never thought that grown-ups had any problems, but Izumi had so many. She wondered what her father was like when he was her age.

Nighttime

"Well Lorie," Izumi said, eating her ice cream cone. "It's time to go to my house. I'll let you call your dad from there." Lorie was eating her ice cream cone too. Hers was chocolate and Izumi's was strawberry.

"Sounds great to me!" Lorie replied and smiled at Izumi who smiled back.

"Well, what do we have here?" a voice asked from behind the girls. They both turned around to see three guys dressed in black. Lorie got scared and Izumi pushed her behind her. "Two girls unprotected."

Izumi spoke to them, "Go away and leave us alone!" She didn't have any fear in her voice. She glared at the guys.

"This girl's got attitude," one of them said, coming closer. Izumi and Lorie stepped back. Izumi was still glaring at them and Lorie was still hiding behind her.

"I'm warning you," Izumi said through gritted teeth. She wasn't going to let anyone hurt Lorie. She was the little genki girl Izumi used to be.

The guys laughed and Izumi told Lorie to stand back. Lorie did as she was told, wondering what Izumi would do to these guys. Izumi punched the first guy right in the nose and he fell over backwards. The next one came at her and she maneuvered to the right, so he just fell to the ground. The last guy came from behind and she jumped and did a full spin kick right at his face. He fell to the ground just as the second guy was getting up. He came at Izumi, but she punched him in the gut and he fell over, clutching his stomach.

Izumi walked over and told Lorie to get on her back. When Lorie had her arms fully around Izumi's neck, Izumi turned around and shouted, "Do that again and you will be even more sorry." Izumi gave one last glare at them and walked towards her house with Lorie on her back.

"That was spectacular!!!!!!!!!" Lorie said when she found her voice. "I wish I could do that!"

Izumi laughed. "I don't think your father would ever let you learn any of that," Izumi replied.

Lorie frowned. "Can't I be your daughter instead of his?" Lorie asked. "You're like my sister more than my mother and that's what I like about you."

Izumi smiled as they reached her house. She unlocked the door and walked inside, making sure to lock the door after her. Lorie was amazed at how big Izumi's house was.

"Wow!" Lorie said as she ran upstairs and into Izumi's room. Izumi ran after her and smiled when she reached the door. Izumi walked in and grabbed her cell phone off the table.

"Here you go, Lorie," Izumi said. "You can call your father using this."

"Izumi?" a voice from outside the room asked. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Tomoyo," Izumi yelled back. "I'm in my room with Lorie!"

Tomoyo walked up to the door just as Lorie took the cell phone from Izumi. "It's nice to meet you, Lorie," Tomoyo said. "I'm Tomoyo."

"Nice to meet you too," Lorie replied with a smile.

Tomoyo smiled as well. "Loralyn was the name of our friend's first child," Tomoyo said. "They both died in a car crash five years ago." Tomoyo and Izumi had their heads down.

Lorie looked at both of them and smiled sadly. "My parents died in a car crash too."

All of them looked at the floor, not wanting to look at each other. Lorie dialed her father's number and listened to the ringing.

"Hello?"a voice on the other line asked. It was Tetsuya, of course.

"Hi dad," Lorie said. "I'm at Izumi's right now. I wanted to ask if I could spend the night here. Izumi allows me." At this Izumi nodded her head. "Please?"

"I don't know Lorie," Tetsuya said.

"Come on, please!" Lorie begged.

"Let me speak to Izumi first," Tetsuya sighed.

"Okay!" Lorie said before giving the phone to Izumi. "He wants to talk to you."

Izumi took the phone and said, "Hi Tetsuya!" She sounded like a ten year old just then and she noticed that no matter how old she looked, she would always be that 10 year old genki girl.

"Hello Izumi," Tetsuya said. "Are you sure you're okay with Lorie staying over there?"

"Of course!" Izumi said. "Lorie can stay as long as she wants to." At this Lorie and Tomoyo went downstairs to make some snacks and leave Izumi alone to talk to Tetsuya.

"I just don't think it's entirely safe," Tetsuya replied.

"Tomoyo and I would never touch a hair on Lorie's head," Izumi answered.

"Still, criminals always go for the big houses and she could get hurt," Tetsuya said, sounding serious.

"If I can fight off three sick-minded guys with ice cream in my hand, then I think I can handle anyone coming into my house," Izumi replied.

"And when did this happen?" Tetsuya asked, concerned.

"About 10 minutes ago, I think," Izumi said and then realized her mistake.

"That's it, I'm coming to get Lorie right now," Tetsuya said.

"No, don't-" Izumi started, but he had hung up the phone. 'Tetsuya,' Izumi said. 'He really does care about her, but he has to know when to quit protecting her.' Izumi ran downstairs and told Tomoyo to watch Lorie. She had to go out and find Tetsuya. "Don't let anyone in, especially Tetsuya," she added. Tomoyo nodded and Lorie smiled at Izumi, knowing what she had told him about.

Izumi walked out the door and toward Tetsuya's house. She knew it from the Caller ID on her phone. She saw someone walking up ahead and knew it was Tetsuya. She ran towards him and he looked up when she was about a foot away.

He looked angry. "How could you do something like that!?!" Tetsuya asked.

"You mean, take her to get ice cream, or the part about the park, because both seem bad to me!" Izumi yelled back.

"You took her out late at night," Tetsuya replied. "There are so many people out here that could hurt her! Sometimes I still think you're that irresponsible 10-year-old girl I met 16 years ago!"

"Oh, now you're calling me irresponsible!" Izumi yelled. "I just don't think that you should keep Lorie trapped inside a bubble where she can't have any real friends! Why can't you let her have what you had 16 years ago!?!"

"Let me tell you something, if I had never met you, things would've went a lot better for me," Tetsuya said without screaming. "You and your stuck-up friends ruined my life."

Izumi looked at him with hurt emerald eyes. "How could you say that?" Izumi screamed, almost to tears. "None of my friends were stuck-up and none of them would ever hurt you like that."

"Right," Tetsuya said sarcastically. "Right after you defeated The Time Card, you changed. You felt like you were higher than everyone after that. You started the trends and were popular. But I still helped you catch the Clow Cards. I knew you couldn't do it on your own. I tried to make it seem like nothing had changed, but it did. I couldn't stand you because you weren't yourself anymore. You were not the 10 year old genki girl that I met 16 years ago."

"So, that's it, huh?" Izumi said, tears streaming down her face. "That's why you hate me. Because I changed." She paused. "I guess you were right all along. I did change, but I'm not that person anymore. I'm not higher than anyone else. When I told Lorie that dreams could come true, I told her the truth. I dreamed of being a singer every night and day since I turned 5 years old. Now I know that when you make a dream come true, you make sacrifices, the things most important to you fade away." She paused again. "I know that I have to make the world right and I have to go back to that day in time when I first made the sacrifices. Thank you for making me see that."

Izumi turned around and ran back home, the tears still flowing down her cheeks. She knew what she had to do. The Time Card couldn't take her back, but The Return Card could. She noticed it when she was looking for Time. She ran until she bumped into someone. She looked up and widened her eyes at the three guys staring back at her.

"Well, lookie here," the first one said. "It's our old friend from the park."

Izumi gulped. She couldn't fight them now. She picked herself up and stared straight at them. "Sorry guys, but I don't feel like fighting you tonight, so just buzz off," Izumi said.

"Looks like the wittle girl was crying," the second one said. "Did you lose your mommy?"

Izumi didn't really care what they thought of her. She just had to make them keep talking until she felt better. Her head was aching and her heart was pounding. The bad thing was that one of them ran straight towards her. She couldn't fight, so he hit her to the ground, making all the air escape her lungs. She blacked out before she knew what else had happened.

10 Minutes Later

Izumi slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out the shape of a person above her. She got scared all of a sudden and knew that she couldn't fight them with her headache. She tried to get up, but the figure pushed her down. "Stay down," the voice commanded.

Izumi's eyes widened. "Tetsuya?" Izumi asked, starting to feel very uncomfortable.

"Yea, it's me," Tetsuya replied and Izumi sat up, her vision cleared. There was no way that Tetsuya could stop her from sitting up. "What did you do that for?" Tetsuya asked.

"Do what?" Izumi asked. Her head was still throbbing with pain. Tetsuya gave her a rag and told her to hold it to her forehead. "The last thing I remember was getting thrown to the ground."

"You got into a fight you couldn't handle," Tetsuya replied.

"I could've handled it fine if I wasn't aching," Izumi replied. "Those were the guys I fought at the park. I guess I didn't do a very good job if they're still able to walk around now."

"You should've screamed for help or something," Tetsuya said.

"What did happen after I got knocked out?" Izumi asked. She had the rag to her forehead and realized she was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the park with Tetsuya beside her.

"I had run after you because I wanted to see what was with you and I found that one of the guys had just hit you down. I ran over and pulled him off you. I knocked out all the guys and carried you here, because your head was bleeding pretty bad," Tetsuya answered, blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble," Izumi replied. "I didn't mean for you to save me. I didn't even mean to get into another fight."

"It's okay," Tetsuya replied. 'How is it that she can be her 10 year old genki self now?' Tetsuya asked himself.

"Well, I have to get home or Tomoyo will be furious," Izumi said. "She doesn't like it when I'm out late. And you'll be taking Lorie home, huh?" Izumi smiled sadly at Tetsuya.

'Why do I feel so uncomfortable around him?' Izumi asked herself. 'It's just Tetsuya.'

"I think she'll be fine at your house for one night," Tetsuya replied and smiled at Izumi. Izumi smiled back.

15 Minutes Later

Izumi and Tetsuya arrived at Izumi's house just when it started to pour down rain. Izumi watched the rain. "You can stay here if you like," Izumi said. "It's the least I could do to thank you for saving me and I'm sure Lorie and Tomoyo won't mind."

"I'm not sure if-" Tetsuya started, but Izumi interrupted.

"You're staying the night," Izumi said, looking straight at him. "You can't go out and catch a cold or something worse." Izumi pulled him in the door and locked it behind her.

"IZUMI!!!!" Lorie yelled and ran into the hallway. She hugged Izumi and then spotted her father. "Hi daddy!" She hugged her father just when Tomoyo came into the hallway.

"Tetsuya is going to be staying the night, since it's raining," Izumi said. "And since I owe him." She still held the rag to her head. She just noticed that it was a piece of cloth from Tetsuya's pants. Of course, it was green.

Lorie stood there excited and Tomoyo smiled. "Lorie and I made chocolate chip cookies and milk for a snack before bed," Tomoyo said. Lorie led the way into the kitchen, followed by Tomoyo, Izumi, and then Tetsuya.

They all sat down at the table and Lorie picked up a cookie and took a bite. "These are great, Tomoyo!" Lorie shouted and ate the rest of the cookie.

Izumi had a cookie as well. "You're making all the cookies I eat, Tomoyo!" Izumi said and smiled wide as she took another bite.

Tetsuya also had a cookie. "Yea, these are really good, Tomoyo," he said.

"Thanks," Tomoyo replied to them all.

"You should become a professional chef!" Lorie exclaimed.

"And miss out on all of Izumi's kawaii pictures?" Tomoyo asked. "No thanks. I wouldn't miss them for the world!" Her eyes had stars in them.

"Guess Tomoyo hasn't changed," Tetsuya said to Izumi.

"Not one bit," Izumi replied, "but I wouldn't have it any other way!" Izumi smiled at him.

After everyone had ate their fair share of cookies, the rain still hadn't stopped and they decided to go to bed. Tomoyo's room was at the end of the hall on the right. Lorie's was end of the hall on the left. Tetsuya's was right beside Tomoyo's and Izumi's was right beside Lorie's bedroom.

Lorie stopped before going into her room. "I want a bedtime story!" she exclaimed.

Izumi smiled at her. "How about I tell you about an adventure of mine?" Izumi asked her. Lorie's smile widened and she nodded her head as fast as she could. Tetsuya didn't like the sound of 'an adventure' at all. He would've stopped Izumi from telling Lorie about it, but decided against it when he saw Lorie's face.

"Go get ready for bed first, okay?" Izumi asked. Lorie nodded her head again and ran into her room, shutting the door. Izumi, Tomoyo, and Tetsuya also went into their rooms, smiling at the 10-year-old.

Izumi had to wash off the scrap on her forehead before anything else. It hurt like hell. What she wouldn't do for some magic right now. She looked at all of her cards, but none of them even remotely looked like a healing card. She just wrapped her head in a bandage and washed off Tetsuya's cloth. She set it beside the sink and walked out of the bathroom.

Izumi opened her wardrobe closet and chose the cutest pajamas she could find. They were pink, of course, with white bunnies all over them. She also found bunny slippers that completed her outfit. The top was a tank top with one bunny on it while the pants were long and had bunnies all over them.

She walked over to her make-up stand and started looking for anything she could use to tie her hair up. She found and pink hair ribbon and tied her hair back in one ponytail. She looked in the mirror and laughed. This outfit made her look like a little kid.

'Oh well,' Izumi thought. 'On the inside, I am a little kid, a ten-year-old genki girl.' Izumi turned around and found a bookshelf with tons of books on it. She rushed over to it and started looking at all th titles. Almost all of them were boring, but finally she found some good kids books. They were on the bottom shelf. She read the spines until she found a book called, 'The Beginning.' It was not a book, but a sort of diary and she knew it was her old diary from when she first started out as a Cardcaptor.

Izumi took it out of her room and went into Lorie's room with it. Lorie was in bed and smiling wide as Izumi came into the room. "What book are you reading to me?" Lorie asked, excited.

"It's an old diary of mine, from when I was about your age," Izumi replied. "I'll read a few days to you and you can imagine them."

Lorie nodded her head in agreement and set her head down on her pillow. Izumi started to read, "Today was one of those days that change your life forever..."

Flashback

(a/n: Izumi's voice will be in these things: ' '....k??)

'Today is the day I move from Tokyo to Tomoeda. I am leaving all my friends behind but making new friends in the process.'

"Hi Izumi," a girl with long blonde hair and brown eyes said to Izumi cheerfully. She was standing right next to Izumi's locker.

"Hello Mika," Izumi replied as she smiled at her friend. Mika was wearing her blue shorts and a red, white, and blue tank top.

'Mika is one of those friends that will always be there for you. She may be crazy sometimes, but I still love her.'

"I'm going to miss you when you're gone," Mika said, leaning back against the lockers. "The whole squad is."

"The cheerleading squad will just have to live without me," Izumi replied. "But I'm going to do you a favor before I leave and you'll thank me later."

"What kind of favor?" Mika said, eyeing her friend suspiciously.

"Let's just say that it involves you and me," Izumi answered sneakily. 'She has no idea what she is in for!' Izumi thought to herself and smirked.

Mika left without another word while Izumi shut her locker and started walking outside. She had just reached the warm rays of the sun and the cool breeze of the wind when a boy with jade eyes and ruby hair ran over to her.

"Hey Ron," Izumi said and waved to him.

'Ron, at that point, had no idea that Mika had a huge crush on him. He was always the normal one of our group. Mika and I were just plain weird.'

"So what did you want to meet me for?" Ron asked.

"Let's go sit under the cherry blossom tree," Izumi suggested as she pointed to the most beautiful cherry blossom tree in the schoolyard.

Ron and Izumi walked over to the cherry blossom tree, sat down on the bench, and Ron started the conversation.

"Is there something wrong?" Ron asked.

"Yes, and if I don't take care of it now, it'll never be done," Izumi replied, knowing what she had to do. She put her hands behind her head, thinking of how happy this will make Mika and smiled.

"What is it?" Ron asked, blushing at Izumi.

"I need to-" Izumi paused and thought for a moment. 'I can't take the moment off of Mika,' thought Izumi. 'She'd be so disappointed!'

"You need to what?" Ron asked, looking hopeful.

"I guess I won't be here for it," Izumi accidentally said out loud.

"For what?" Ron asked, confused. "You're not making any sense."

Izumi laughed at her mistake. "I didn't mean to say that out loud, but it's better to learn from your mistakes," Izumi said cheerfully. "Maybe-"

"Maybe what?" Ron asked, getting really impatient.

"Just talk to Mika for me," Izumi said finally. "Please do it before I leave, but make it a private conversation, one that no one can hear."

"Why in the world-?" Ron asked, very confused.

"Just do it," Izumi interrupted, "for Mika's sake."

"Okay," Ron said. "For Mika, but I still don't understand."

"You will soon enough," Izumi said and smiled sneakily before getting up. "I'll talk to you later, you're going to be at the train station when I leave, right?"

"Of course," Ron replied.

Izumi walked off to her house, hoping that her plan would work. 'I want them to be happy, even if I'm not,' Izumi thought to herself and smiled.

'I knew that if they were alone together then they could tell each other their true feelings.'

"Tomoeda," Izumi said out loud, but in a slight whisper, "here I come."

'I went home after that. Home to my family. Soon after I came home, Mika visited and well...she was happy.'

"Hello Jonouchi-kun, is Izumi home?" Mika asked, more happily than ever.

"She's in her room waiting for you," Jonouchi answered and opened the door wider for her. Mika walked in and muttered a quick, "Arigatou," before running up the stairs.

"Oh man! I lost again!" Izumi said, looking sad. She was laying belly-side down on her floor with her laptop right in front of her.

"Izumi-chan!" Mika yelled as she walked happily into Izumi's room and sat beside her.

Izumi sat and looked at her. "Hello Mika-chan," she said with glee.

"I have major things to tell you, Izumi-chan!" Mika yelled like a love-sick puppy. (a/n: Hey! Don't laugh! You know what I mean!)

"Like what?" Izumi asked, looking really confused. (a/n: Actually, she was really confused.)

"Ron-chan just said that he loved me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mika shouted with a squeal.

"And you said-?" Izumi asked.

"I said that I loved him back, of course!" Mika squealed again.

"And it was that easy?" Izumi asked, even more confused than before.

"No way! It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life!" Mika shouted, standing up, and then lowered her voice again, "But I'm glad it's over and that makes me and Ron an official couple now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

'I never really listened to the part about it being the hardest thing she had ever done.'

"I'm so happy for you!" Izumi yelled, standing up and hugging Mika.

They both stopped hugging after a while and finally sat down again.

"Hey, let's go online and see if you can meet a guy!" Mika shouted as she pointed to Izumi's laptop.

"I don't think so," Izumi replied.

'I loved the internet and all, but still, meeting a decent guy on there seemed impossible.'

"Oh come on, Wildfire!" Mika screamed.

"Okay," Izumi finally said. "We'll go on and go into a chat room but we will not tell anyone who we are."

"Right," Mika said.

Izumi laid back down into her position and Mika laid beside her. Izumi logged back onto her screen name, Wildfire. She found a useful chat room about video games and decided to go in.

"Video games?" Mika asked, confused.

"At least we'll know that boys are going to be here," Izumi answered. "Besides, I love video games! Just let me do all the typing."

"Okay," Mika said.

There were only three people in the chat room, Kawaiiluver, Magicdude, and Karatekid.

Magicdude: looks like we got a new person on this chat! hey Wildfire!

Wildfire: Hello everyone!

Karatekid: jeez, dont spell things out right...

Kawaiiluver: u a gurl or guy, Wildfire?

Wildfire: gurl

'I tried typing the way they typed things, but it was difficult.'

Kawaiiluver: yes! these peoples r both guys. they bore me to death!

Wildfire: rotfl

Magicdude: dont pretend like we're not here, its very mean, ya know!

Karatekid: very

Kawaiiluver: sighs i'm surrounded by buffoons...So, Wildfire, y r u in this chat?

Wildfire: my friend made me, actually, she's right beside me...looking like she wants to kill me.............but she said that i needed to meet a guy........yea right

Magicdude: i'm single here! over here!

Kawaiiluver: u r sooooooo lucky u r at ur house....

Magicdude: y?

Kawaiiluver: cuz i want to whack u right now!!!!!!!!!!

Magicdude: curls up in a corner

Wildfire: lol.......u haven't talked much yet, Karatekid, y not???

Karatekid: i have to move in 4 days...

'Too bad I never realized that we were moving to the same place!'

Wildfire: 2 bad...i'm moving 2morrow...sadly...

Kawaiiluver: will u still have ur screen name?

Wildfire: hai

Kawaiiluver: so u r Japanese? me 2!!!!! and we can talk and become friends!

"Kawaiiluver seems really interesting," Mika said.

"Hai, I bet we'll become fast friends," Izumi replied.

"I think you should reply or something," Mika said, pointing to the screen.

"Right!" Izumi said and looked at the screen.

Kawaiiluver: wuts ur name?

Wildfire: cant say in a chat room....too dangerous.

Karatekid: right, we r waiting outside ur house, ready to kill u...

Wildfire: thats not funny!

Magicdude: Is it safe to come out yet???????????

Kawaiiluver: NO!!!

Magicdude: ok...

Wildfire: wut made u choose that name, Kawaiiluver??

Kawaiiluver: My bff was always so kawaii, but she died last month...............its in honor of her.

Wildfire: Gomen nasai...

Kawaiiluver: its ok, i'm ok now...

Magicdude: sooooooo

Kawaiiluver: WUT NOW???????

Magicdude: cowers in corner again NOTHING!

Kawaiiluver: I really hope everything will turn out ok w/ ur new school and stuff, both of u.

Wildfire: thanks

Karatekid: thanks

Kawaiiluver: giggling

Wildfire: y r u giggling????????

Kawaiiluver: u guys sent that at the same time!

Wildfire: sweatdropped

Kawaiiluver: it reminds me of my bff and her crush...........they totally luved each other but never admitted it, now they can't cuz they r both gone.........

Wildfire: both?!?!?!?!!??!!?

Kawaiiluver: hai...

Wildfire: wow...how sad...

Kawaiiluver: it was horrible...

Wildfire: .......

'I had to admit, it was strange hearing that two people died. They even loved each other and I knew that it was a horrible death.'

Kawaiiluver: well, it is getting late. hopefully, u'll find a guy like ur friend said, Wildfire! gtg, bye

Wildfire: BYE Kawaiiluver!!!!!!!!!

Kawaiiluver signed off at 8:23.

Magicdude: she gone????

Wildfire: hai

Magicdude: phew! thankfully....

Wildfire: i think she likes u...

Magicdude: wut??????

Wildfire: KL loves MD!!!!

Magicdude: wut does that stand for???

Wildfire: Kawaiiluver loves Magicdude!!! And vice-versa! lol

Magicdude: i dont have to take this...

Magicdude signed off at 8:30.

Wildfire: i guess i'm not a people person...

Wildfire: hello???

Wildfire: r u there??? Karatekid???

Karatekid: ..........

Wildfire: i guess u r'nt a talker...that's ok...how bout questions!!! And my friend wants to join sooooooo we each ask a question and everyone has to answer, but nothing personal like......name, address, that kind of thing.

Karatekid: oooooook

Wildfire: my friend asked wut's ur fav color?

Karatekid: green

Wildfire: mine's pink & my friend's is blue

Wildfire: gomen, aqua blue....

Karatekid: how bout, wut's ur fav class?

Wildfire: gym, and my friend's is english

Karatekid: mine's gym, too...

"You have one thing in common!" Mika exclaimed. "Sounds like love to me!"

"Mika," Izumi said, "It's not-"

"Mika-kun!" called Hayao from downstairs. "Your Okaa-san called and wants you home right away!"

"Okay!" Mika yelled before getting up and turning to Izumi. "Tell me everything in an e-mail or send the conversation to me!"

Mika left with glee and pride in her eyes as Izumi looked back at her computer screen.

Karatekid: r u there????

Wildfire: gomen, my friend just left...had to go home...

Karatekid: o, i c...

Wildfire: i had better get going....but i'll be on tomorrow cuz i have the whole train ride to my new house to be on my laptop...around 11:00?

Karatekid: i'll be on, ja

Wildfire: Oyasumi Karatekid...

'I never knew how much impact meeting Karatekid would have on my life. Things were never the same after that.'

Izumi logged off after sending her last message to Karatekid. Shutting her laptop off, she decided to take a long hot bath before going to bed.

End of Flashback

Izumi looked up at Lorie to see if she was still awake. She was asleep. "I never knew my life was that boring," Izumi said and smiled at Lorie before getting up and kissing her lightly on the forehead, she said, "Sweet dreams."

Izumi walked out of the room and decided to go downstairs for something to drink. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, trying to decide what to drink before bed.

"Hungry again?" a voice asked from the door which made Izumi jump and quickly close the refrigerator door. She looked towards the doorway only to see Tetsuya standing there. He was wearing the same exact thing he wore when he was ten except it was a whole lot bigger. Izumi blushed just like the ten-year-old who blushed when she first saw this outfit.

"No, just looking for something to drink," Izumi replied. She opened the refrigerator door again to hide her blush.

Tetsuya had that knowing look on his face and couldn't help but notice that Izumi looked like a ten-year-old in her pajamas.

Izumi finally took water from the refrigerator and poured herself a drink. "Want some?" she asked Tetsuya with a smile. Tetsuya nodded.

Izumi sat down at the table, drinking her water when Tetsuya sat across from her. "So, why is it that you are one person one day and a entirely different person the next?" Tetsuya asked Izumi.

"What do you mean?" Izumi asked.

"You may have been the best singer in all of Japan, but you were never the most loved," Tetsuya replied. Izumi looked at him with the most confused face ever. "See, everybody hated you. All your fans may have adored you, but they never liked your attitude and none of them liked you, only your voice."

Izumi was silent. She wasn't expecting everyone to hate her. "And then you do this interview and you make it seem like you're the nicest person in the world. How can you do that?" Tetsuya asked Izumi.

There was silence for a moment until Izumi spoke, "I'm not from this time, Tetsuya. I don't belong here. I belong back with my friends and my family and the way it was before The Time Card."

"You can't go back in time, Izumi," Tetsuya replied. "What's done is done."

"If I could go forward 16 years, then I can surely go back 16 as well!" Izumi replied, determined. She stood up from the table and ran back to her room. She shut the door and took out the Izumi Cards.

She shuffled through them and before she got to the Time Card, she spotted another card, The Return Card.

There was a knock at her door and she knew it was Tetsuya, the new Tetsuya, not the one in her past. "This is it," she whispered. "I don't know what happened to these cards, but I hope this will work. I have no idea where my wand is, but I hope you will listen Return."

She held the card before her in her right hand and shouted, "Return Card! Help me now!"

The Return Card glowed and then Return showed itself. "Can you take me back to my own time?" Izumi asked.

Return nodded and then pointed towards her heart. Izumi understood instantly, as though Return could place the words into her mind. Return wanted something in return for taking her back. "What do you want?" Izumi asked.

'The thing that is most precious to you,' Return answered in her head.

Again, Izumi heard the knocking on the door and knew what was most precious to her. "I accept the conditions and will give you the thing that is most precious to me, the feeling I hold of love for Lorie. She is the most precious thing to me in this world. She means everything to me now. I will give you the love for her, the memory of her, and I will never remember her again."

'You will meet, know, and love her again, I am sure,' Return replied in her mind and then turned the hourglass over in its hand.

Izumi felt a rush of power come at her and felt her mind being slowly erased. She no longer knew about Lorie. She only knew that she was going home to her family and her friends and she would be able to change the future and make it become her own.

Did you like it?????? I hope you did!!!! Well, please read and review!!!!!!!!!!!! I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	7. Time Captured Finally and Another Captur...

**Another Chance**

**By: Snow Horse**

**Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, the talented and beautiful ladies of CLAMP do. They're my idols!!!!!!!!!!! But I do own Izumi and Tetsuya and all the characters that aren't in CCS!**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die with them?**

**Key: "talking"**

**'thinking'**

**scene change**

**(a/n: author's note)**

**(A/n: SHORT SHORT SHORT! This is a SHORT chapter, just so I can update faster!)**

**Chapter 6**

**Time Captured Finally and Another Capture!**

When Izumi disappeared, Tetsuya ran over to where she was last seen and Kero flew. "Where'd she go?" Tetsuya asked. Time had disappeared as well.

A bright light appeared to the right of them. "What the-" Kero started, but then he saw a figure coming out of it. That ten-year-old genki girl he knew came bursting out of it. Izumi fell on the ground and started rolling. She hit into Tetsuya and started laughing hysterically. Izumi was now on the ground on top of Tetsuya.

"Izumi?" Tetsuya asked, his cheeks burning. Izumi was still laughing as she got off him. "What's so funny?"

Izumi abruptly stopped laughing. She looked around at her surroundings and smiled wide. She jumped up and yelled, "I DID IT!"

Tetsuya and Kero stared at her, confused. "Izumi?" Kero said.

"Yea, Kero?" Izumi asked as she was looking herself over. She had on the costume from Fight still. Her smile widened as she remembered the events of the day. It was getting dark though.

"What did you do?" Kero asked, too confused to move.

Izumi stopped smiling. "Oh, I just, well-you see, it's hard to explain," Izumi started.

"Where did Time send you?" Kero asked.

Izumi smiled at him. "Sixteen years into the future," Izumi said. She looked over at Tetsuya and he was still confused. "I guess I'll have to explain it all to you, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow so I can tell Meiling and Tomoyo as well and it is getting late."

Kero and Tetsuya agreed. Kero would just come to school with Izumi tomorrow. Izumi and Kero went one way while Tetsuya went the other. 'Wait a second, why wasn't Meiling in the future?' Izumi asked herself.

**Next Day, School**

Izumi sped off on her skates. She was going to be late once again. She turned a sharp corner and ran into a bike. She fell over and so did the bike.

She had run into Yukito, Jonouchi's new friend from school. "Oh my gosh!" Izumi said and stood up to help Yukito up. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Yukito replied. "You're Jonouchi's sister, aren't you?"

"Yep," Izumi replied and smiled wide.

Yukito got back onto his bike and said, "Well, it was nice seeing you again even if you did knock my bike over."

"Gomen nasai," Izumi replied and bowed low.

"It's okay," Yukito replied. "I have to be going now."

"BYE!" Izumi yelled as she waved her hand at Yukito's disappearing form.

She stopped waving when she couldn't see him anymore. 'Yukito seems really nice,' Izumi thought. 'I feel like I have a connection with him.'

A bell sounded from somewhere. "HOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Izumi shouted. "I'M LATE!!!!!!!!!!" She sped off in the direction of her school.

**The Classroom**

"Where's Izumi?" Tomoyo asked Meiling.

Meiling seemed really upset about something. "I don't know," Meiling replied as she got out her science book.

(a/n: I know before it seemed like they only had two classes, but that was because I skipped the others. I was being lazy, okay???)

Tomoyo's face saddened. 'I hope she's okay,' Tomoyo thought as she too got out her science book.

The door suddenly sprang open and Izumi stood there, breathing deeply. "I'm sorry, pant I'm late, pant Mr. Lutwit. pant"

"Miss Hinako, please inform the class why you are late and why you are wasting their valuable learning time," Mr. Lutwit replied.

Izumi took a deep breath and then started talking as she stood in front of the class, "Well, my Onii-chan woke me up late. Then I had to scarf down breakfast in a hurry and grab my skates. While skating, I ran into a bicycle and then had to help the person I knocked over up. After I helped him up, the bell rang and I rushed to get in here." She had said it all in one breath.

Mr. Lutwit seemed satisfied. He motioned for Izumi to sit down and she took her place in front of Tomoyo and beside Tetsuya. Meiling sat in front of Tetsuya.

Mr. Lutwit began class, but Izumi wasn't paying attention. She wrote a note to Tomoyo and passed it behind her. Tomoyo quickly read the note:

**Tomoyo,**

** At lunch, we have to get a table for just me, you, Tetsuya, and Meiling. I have something important to tell you all and no one else can hear.**

**Izumi**

Tomoyo stuffed the note in her pocket and tapped her pencil on her desk three times, signaling that she agreed with the plan. That was their special morse code trick. Three times is yes, two times is no, and one time is maybe.

Now, Izumi had to give a note to Tetsuya. That was harder than giving one to Tomoyo. Izumi wrote another note, almost the same one as Tomoyo's and passed it to the left of her when the teacher wasn't looking. Tetsuya took it out of Izumi's hand, their hands touching for just a moment and took the note.

**Tetsuya,**

** Today at lunch Tomoyo, Meiling, you, and I will get a table to ourselves. I have to tell you guys something.**

**Izumi**

**PS- Give this note to Meiling to read.**

Tetsuya also tapped his pencil three times on the desk and then passed the note to Meiling. Meiling took it and read it. She tapped her desk with her pencil three times as well.

Izumi smiled, knowing that her plan worked. For the rest of the class, she didn't pay attention whatsoever, but was thinking about all the things she had to tell the gang.

**Lunchtime**

(a/n: See? Me and my lazy butt skipped all the classes between science and lunch. But still, sometime throughout the story, I'll have all the classes and then, maybe you won't be confused...maybe.)

Tomoyo, Izumi, Meiling, and Tetsuya walked over to a lunch table that was away from the crowd. It was under a huge cherry blossom tree. Tetsuya was the only one who knew what Izumi was going to tell them.

When they sat down, Izumi opened her backpack and out popped Kero's head.

"Why are you here, Kero?" Tomoyo asked, taking a bite of an apple.

"I'm here to find out what happened when Time sent Izumi forward in time," he replied very quietly so no one could hear him talk except the gang.

"Time?" Meiling asked.

Izumi sighed. "Yesterday, Tetsuya and I ran into the Time Card," Izumi explained. "We didn't count on it at all and it was very sudden. Time froze completely and even if we tried to call you, you wouldn't be able to answer because time stopped. Anyway, I tried to capture it when it showed us its true form, but instead Time sent me forward in time 16 years."

Tomoyo and Meiling just stared until Tomoyo spoke up, "What happened?"

Izumi explained everything that happened 16 years ago. The story was kind of confusing because she didn't have the memory of a certain person from the future. She told the story without that person in it which was awful confusing.

When she was finished she added, "But I never saw Meiling there. I wonder why."

Meiling looked away form Izumi. "I think I know why," she said.

"Why?" Izumi asked her, surprised.

"My mother sent me a letter that said I had to get home right away," Meiling answered. "She said that since Syaoran died, I have no reason to be here and that I'm needed with Yelan, Syaoran's mother. She needs my help getting through all this."

Izumi looked sadly at her. "So, you're leaving?"

"Yes," Meiling answered and then she turned back and looked happy again. "But I expect Tomoyo to tape everything that happens and when I visit, I'm going to watch all the tapes and you have to explain everything to me."

Izumi smiled. "Of course, Meiling," Izumi said. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow Morning," Meiling replied. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Then she turned to Tetsuya. "Mother also enclosed this into my letter." She gave him a note that had his name on it. "She said to give it to you."

Tetsuya took the note and read it. "What's it say?" Meiling asked anxiously.

"It says that I have to go back to Hong Kong when all the trouble here is gone," Tetsuya replied. "I'm guessing that means after The Clow Cards are captured."

Izumi looked sad again. "So, you're leaving too," Izumi said.

"Yea, but how long will it take to capture 45 more cards?" Tetsuya asked her.

Izumi thought about it. "I guess you'll be here a while," Izumi said and smiled at him. Tomoyo had out her camera and was taping the whole thing.

"She's what I'm counting on right now and I can see that she's already taping things for me," Meiling said as she pointed to Tomoyo taping Tetsuya and Izumi.

Izumi sweatdropped at Tomoyo. "Tomoyo," Izumi said and sighed. Then she shook her head out of it. "Meiling, do you think you and Tomoyo could sleep over tonight since you're leaving tomorrow?" Izumi looked at her with one last pleading look.

Meiling looked at her and then replied, "I guess it'd be all right."

Izumi smiled. "YES!" she shouted. "Don't worry, I promise to make this the best sleepover ever!!!!!!!"

She jumped out of her seat and said, "I'm going to plan!" before running towards the school.

Tomoyo, Meiling, and Tetsuya sweatdropped. "Uh-a bit hyper, isn't she?" Meiling asked.

"But what can you expect from Izumi?" Tomoyo asked, putting her camera back in her bag. "She's just a genki 10-year-old girl."

"You're telling me," Meiling replied.

"I bet she's always been that way," Tetsuya stated, looking back at the running Izumi. Then he turned back around and looked at Tomoyo and Meiling. They were frozen. "Hello?" he asked, waving his hands in front of their faces. "Uh-oh."

Izumi

Izumi ran towards the school and just before she went into it, she bumped into someone. She got up and said, "Oh, sorry!" but the person wasn't moving. She looked around and noticed that nothing was moving and there was no sound. "Oh no."

Izumi quickly took her key from her neck and said:

_"Oh, Key of Clow,_

_Power of magic, power of light,_

_Surrender the wand,_

_The force ignite._

_Release!"_

Izumi grabbed her wand in mid-air and she saw Tetsuya running towards her with his sword in hand. "Time is back," he said when he reached her, almost out of breath. "Watch for any sudden movements."

_"FIGHT! Release and Dispel! Fight Card!"_ Izumi screamed and slammed her wand on the Fight Card. Fight's light surrounded her and she was wearing the same outfit she wore the night before except for one difference, she didn't wear anything that covered her face in any way.

Tetsuya sweatdropped. "Do you have to wear that?" he asked. Now they were standing back to back, watching for any sudden movements.

"Do you think I can fight Time in a skirt?" Izumi asked him. "Besides, I don't see anything wrong with it."

"You look like me, except pink," Tetsuya stated.

Izumi looked herself over for a second and then got back into position. "You've got a point there," she replied, "but why would that stop me from wearing it?"__

"Because you look like me," Tetsuya answered.__

Izumi rolled her eyes. Tetsuya would never change. He'd always be the same karate-chopping Li she met on the internet, but still, she wouldn't have him any other way.__

Suddenly something moved in the bushes to the right of them. It came out. It was definitely Time. Izumi would know that card from anywhere.

Izumi stepped closer to it. "Be careful," Tetsuya warned. "Remember what happened last time."

Izumi glared at Time. "You showed me the future," Izumi said to it, "even though I don't know why I feel the future is incomplete. I just know that the future will be different from what you showed me. I'll make changes to it so that I don't give up the things I love for my dream." Izumi was practically shouting at Time now.

Time held out its Hourglass as a warning that if Izumi came closer, she would be placed in the future again. "I will not go back," Izumi said confidently. Izumi knew what she had to do. She pulled out her cards, Jump, Windy, Sword, Dash, Mirror, Fly, and Power.__

_ "DASH! SWORD!" _Izumi shouted. _"Release and Dispel! DASH! SWORD!"_ She slammed her wand down on the two cards. She ran straight over to Time without Time noticing and slashed his Hourglass out of his hand. Then she ran back and shouted, _"TIME! SWORD! DASH! FIGHT! Return to your power confined! TIME, SWORD, DASH, and FIGHT!"_ She slammed her wand down and Time disappeared into a card, so did Dash, Sword, and Fight.

Izumi had used up so much energy fighting Time, she fainted just when time started again. Tetsuya had enough sense to grab the cards and shove them into his pocket before catching Izumi before she hit the ground.

Tomoyo and Meiling didn't know what had happened. One minute, Tetsuya was in front of them. The next minute he's holding a fainted Izumi in his arms. They ran over and Tomoyo frantically asked Tetsuya, "What happened?"

"Time," was all he said before a large groups of kids surrounded them and a teacher came out and took Izumi into the nurse's office.

Tomoyo, Meiling, and Tetsuya waited for Izumi outside the nurse's office. "What did Time do to her?" Meiling asked.__

"It wasn't Time," Tetsuya answered. "It was the fact that she used up too much of her energy catching Time." He took out the Time Card from his pocket.

Meiling and Tomoyo gaped. Izumi caught the Time Card and they didn't even know it. "Go Izumi!" Tomoyo said and smiled. "She did it! She did it!" Tomoyo jumped up and so did Meiling. They started jumping around the nurse's office.__

A throat was cleared and Tomoyo and Meiling stopped abruptly. The principal was standing at the doorway. Tetsuya stood up and all three of them bowed. "What have you been doing?" the principal asked them, clearly angry. "A student doesn't just faint out of nowhere."

Tetsuya looked up at him and answered quickly, "It was the sun. It was really hot out there and Izumi was running."

The principal bent over and glared Tetsuya straight in the eyes. Tetsuya held his breath. "Very well," the principal said and turned to leave. As soon as they heard the door to the principal's office close, Tetsuya let out his breath.

"Quick thinking, Tetsuya," Meiling praised. "Couldn't have lied better myself."

"Thanks," Tetsuya said and sat down again. "That was way too close. No one should find out about Izumi and I capturing the cards or they'll just want to keep them for themselves."

Tomoyo sat down as well. Meiling sat beside her. "I still can't believe that Izumi caught Time and I didn't even get to videotape it," Tomoyo said, really bummed. "Nine cards and I only got to videotape six. Well, about six anyway, if you count videotaping Izumi reseal Power. If not I only videotaped five."

"Tomoyo, you still have 44 other chances to videotape Izumi capturing cards," Meiling said. "I think you should be happy about that. But make sure you get them all or there's going to be pain in your future, Tomoyo." Meiling glared at her and Tomoyo smiled.

"I wouldn't miss them for the world!" Tomoyo exclaimed and got starry-eyed and she stood up. Meiling and Tetsuya sweatdropped.__

Just then, the nurse's office door opened and a voice said, "You guys talking about me?"

It was Izumi, standing in the doorway and smiling. Tomoyo ran up to her and hugged her. "Tomoyo, I wasn't out that long, was I?" Izumi asked, sweatdropping.

Tomoyo let Izumi go. "Next time, tell me when you are going to capture a card!" Tomoyo said.

"Sorry about that, but you were frozen in time," Izumi replied with her hand behind her head. "I have to admit, Time was a tough card to beat!"__

"But you did and that's what counts!" Tomoyo replied and smiled. Izumi smiled as well until a presence struck her.

"Not again!" Izumi said and looked over at Tetsuya. "Ready?" But Tetsuya had his sword out already and he led the way out of the school with the girls following him.

A muffled voice was heard from Izumi's backpack and she just remembered that Kero was in there. "Kero!" she yelled as she opened her bag. "Gomen nasai!"

"You better be sorry, Izumi!" he yelled. "I've been yelling at you for the past 45 minutes!"

Izumi sweatdropped. "We have a card to deal with right now, Kero, talk later," she said and ran outside where Tetsuya, Meiling, and Tomoyo were. "Did we find out what card it was yet?" She took out her key and turned it into a wand.

Meiling pointed straight towards two trees. On top of them were two little people who looked exactly alike with white outfits. "The Twin Card," Meiling replied. Tomoyo, of course, started her camera.

Kero gasped. "This one needs to be captured both at the same time, not one at a time," Kero explained. "We have to defeat them both at the same time."

"How can we if we don't know what the other person is thinking?" Meiling asked. "We'd have to be exact twins!"

"That's it!" Izumi shouted. She got out a card from her pocket. "_MIRROR CARD!_ Release and Dispel! Mirror!" The Mirror Card came out and changed into Izumii again, looking exactly like Izumi. "Mirror, let's go!"

Izumi and Izumii ran straight for the Twins. The Twins jumped down and matched each other move for move while Izumi and Izumii were having some trouble. "It's not working, Izumi!" Tetsuya yelled.

'Tetsuya's right, we're losing,' Izumi thought, desperately.

Then a voice in the back of her head said, "Consider all your options."

Izumi got wide-eyed. She jumped back from the Twins and so did Izumii. Izumi ran over to Tetsuya and smiled. "I can't make Mirror respond as quickly as you can," she said and then yelled, "Mirror Card, change into Tetsuya!"

Tetsuya got a confused expression on and Mirror changed into Tetsuyaa instead. (A/n: two A's...ha ha!) The Twins instead went after Tetsuya and Tetsuyaa. Tetsuya was quicker than Izumi and could make Mirror respond faster than Izumi could.

Tetsuya and Tetsuyaa hit a direct hit on the Twins and they both fell backwards. _"Return to your previous form as a card, TWIN!"_ The Twins turned back into a card and Mirror turned back into one as well. Tetsuya has caught the Twin Card, but Izumi couldn't be happier for him!

Now, all Izumi had to do was plan for Meiling's special sleep over. Then, she would never see her dear friend for a long, long time.

* * *

AW! Meiling is moving back to Hong Kong! Btw, did you like me new capture of Twin? I didn't want to do it with Meiling and Li, because Syaoran is gone, and it wouldn't work with Tetsuya! 


	8. The Sleep Over of the Century And IT Get...

**Another Chance**

**By: Snow Horse**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

**typing **

**Chapter 7**

**The Sleep Over of the Century And I/T Gets Into A Fight...Wait! WHAT??!?!?**

"Yes!" Izumi shouted and jumped up. "My plan worked!" Izumi smiled and then realized something, her smile fading. 'I wonder how Tetsuya caught a Clow Card. I think it's a bit odd that he can catch them. Hmmmm...' Izumi thought.

"That was wicked!" Tetsuya shouted, walking over to the gang. "Maybe I should catch Clow Cards more often." He smiled.

Izumi glared at him. "Oh really now?" Izumi asked. "You think you can do a better job than me?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Tetsuya replied and glared right back.

"If you think you can catch them so easily, then you will no longer have any help from me!" Izumi shouted, turned her back, and started to walk away.

"And you won't have my help either!" Tetsuya shouted back and turned the opposite way.

Tomoyo and Meiling looked at them one at a time and Tomoyo sighed. "This is just great," Tomoyo said sarcastically.

Meiling frowned. "Are they that stupid to just throw their friendship away for some cards?" she asked, angry.

"This reminds me of Li-kun and Sakura-chan when they first met," Tomoyo said.

"Let's just go to class before we're late," Meiling stated and ran towards the door to the school where the bell had just rung. They quickly ran into the new class they signed up for, Karate, and sat down on the bleachers for they were in the gym.

They sat beside Izumi who was on one side of the bleachers while Tetsuya was on the other.

The class was being taught by two very old looking people. One was a woman and the other a man. "Hello class," said the elderly man. "I am Mr. Oldeman and this is my wife, Mrs. Oldeman." He pointed to the elderly lady. "We are here to teach you the fine art of Karate."

"Now, Karate is always done carefully and with the utmost quickness," Mrs. Oldeman said. "Any questions so far?"

Meiling raised her hand. "Yes, young lady, your name, please?" Mr. Oldeman asked of Meiling.

"Li Meiling," Meiling answered politely.

"Ah, Miss Li," Mr. Oldeman said and smiled. "I hear that it is your first and last day with us. Now, what is your question?"

"How are you exactly going to teach us karate?" Meiling asked skeptically.

Mr. Oldeman laughed. "You ask that because I am old, right?" he asked. "Well, back in the day, I was quite the fighter and now I am here to teach you this. My wife is just here to assist me in the training. I have been teaching her and assure you that she is getting very good."

The class laughed and Mrs. Oldeman blushed. Izumi could tell that this class was going to be more fun than any of her other classes.

Meiling raised her hand again. "Yes, Miss Li?" Mr. Oldeman said.

"Aren't you supposed to take attendance or something?" Meiling asked, getting a little annoyed about having two old people for teachers.

"If you're here, you're here and if you're not, you're not, that's just the way things are," Mr. Oldeman replied with his wisdom.

Meiling looked skeptical. This wasn't going to be like the karate she was used to. Maybe it was okay that she was leaving tomorrow. No, it was all bad.

"Now, we'll start by demonstrating a match," Mr. Oldeman explained to the class. "Do we have two volunteers to show us how it's done?"

Meiling's hand shot in the air. So did about half the class's. With them, included Izumi's and Tetsuya's hands.

"So, Miss Li, you have experience in martial arts?" Mr. Oldeman asked.

Meiling smiled. "You bet I do!" she said.

"Come down here please," Mr. Oldeman said and then looked around while Meiling made her way down to the front of the class. "And you, Miss-?"

"Hinako Izumi," Izumi said with a smile and then made her way down as well. Meiling smiled wickedly at her.

"Now girls, I want a nice clean match from both of you," Mr. Oldeman stated. "We will be watching you and will be seeing what you have to work on." He paused for a second, watching the girls get into position. "Begin!" (A/n: I'm not very good with fight scenes so bare with me here!)

Izumi and Meiling both got into the fight with all their might. Hits and blocks, it was just going on forever, but of course, Meiling had more endurance than Izumi did. Meiling had finally made Izumi trip and fall on the floor, but Izumi kicked Meiling down as well. It was turning into a cat fight now. They were actually rolling on the floor, fighting. It was a good thing there was padding there. Meiling pinned down Izumi and whispered so only they could hear, "You need more practice without the help of the Clow Cards, Izumi."

"Finish!" Mr. Oldeman yelled and Meiling let go of Izumi. She helped Izumi up and they both smiled, but Mr. Oldeman was shaking his head. "If you ask me, both of you girls need some work."

Meiling glared at him, like she was about to pounce, but Izumi grabbed her arm and stopped her. "You may be seated," Mr. Oldeman said and smiled at them. Meiling and Izumi went back to their seats, Meiling still in her grouchy mood.

"What's wrong, Meiling?" Tomoyo asked, putting her camera away. She was, of course, taping the whole fight.

"Saying I need more practice," Meiling spat. "I've trained my whole life in martial arts."

"You can't blame him," Izumi said. "He might not know any better. You should give him and his wife a chance. I bet they'll be good teachers once-" Then the realization hit Izumi.

Meiling looked up at Izumi, expecting her to say more and then remembered leaving also. "Oh, right, I won't have to put up with them after this class."

Izumi's eyes saddened and then she sighed.

For the rest of the class, Mr. And Mrs. Oldeman talked about some of the moves the class would be learning and all the things that Izumi and Meiling did wrong in their fight. Meiling just kept getting madder and madder with every passing second. There was no more action in that class at all, or for the rest of the day, as a matter of fact.

After school, Meiling and Tomoyo walked home together since it was (a/n: Oh no! I got the days mixed up! I think today is either Saturday or Sunday! DARN! Well, I think I'll just make it up and try to make them have school everyday, okay?) Thursday and Tetsuya and Izumi didn't spend any time together. They had to spend 4 hours together before the sleep over for Meiling tonight. (A/n: I know that cheerleading tryouts were a Thursday as well, but still I messed up!)

"How do you think Tetsuya-kun and Izumi-chan are doing?" Tomoyo asked.

"If they haven't beaten the stuffing out of each other yet, I'd say just fine," Meiling answered with a slight laugh. "You'll just have to have fun being in the middle of it all without me."

"It is a shame that you are leaving," Tomoyo replied.

"Yeah, I'll miss you guys," Meiling replied. "It just won't be the same going back to Hong Kong after what happened."

Tomoyo and Meiling both sighed. "It was meant to happen," Tomoyo said and they both walked their separate ways toward their houses. "I'll see you at Izumi's house tonight."

"Right," Meiling replied and started on her way.

**Izumi & Tetsuya...**

"Just stay away from me or you'll make me fall," Izumi said to Tetsuya. They've been skating in the park for the past 3 hours and only had one hour left. "I'm just glad this is almost over."

"And then, we have to do this all over again next week," Tetsuya said miserably.

Izumi put her head on her hand. "Torture, I tell ya, torture," Izumi said under her breath so Tetsuya couldn't hear.

"I can't wait until this thing is over," Tetsuya said softly so Izumi wouldn't hear.

Tetsuya and Izumi were skating so long, they didn't notice that they had passed the same tree about 20 times already. "Why don't we make this last hour an all out skate?" Izumi suggested, smiling evilly. "Whoever has the most laps in one hour is the winner."

"Fine with me," Tetsuya said, glaring at Izumi. "But remember, I have more endurance than you."

"And you actually think that will give you the advantage?" Izumi asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Of course," Tetsuya replied and they both started skating around the park, hoping to win the race.

**1 Hour Later, Izumi's House...**

"That girl should've been home already," Jonouchi said and tried to stand up on his crotches to search for Izumi.

"Jonouchi, I'm sure Izumi is fine," Hayao said and smiled at his son.

Then, they heard the door open and close with a slam. Izumi walked into the kitchen, dripping mud everywhere. She saw the odd looks from Otou-san and Onii-chan. Jonouchi started laughing asked, "What happened to you?"

Izumi got angry and shouted, "It's none of your business, you baka!" She ran out of the kitchen and upstairs. She could hear Jonouchi still laughing at her.

'Great, just great,' Izumi thought. 'I'm covered in mud and Tomoyo and Meiling are about to arrive.' Then, from the top of the stairs, she heard the doorbell ring. 'Darn, they're here.'

She heard Otou-san answer it and yell up for her, saying that Meiling and Tomoyo were here. Izumi walked down the stairs and saw both of them widen their eyes. "What happened?" Tomoyo asked, astonished.

"I'll tell you everything in my room," Izumi replied and dragged both of them into her room where she took off her muddy clothes and washed her face in the bathroom real quick. Then, she put on her pajamas with the little purple pandas on them.

"Now, tell us what happened," Meiling said and they all sat on the floor. Kero flew out of Izumi's backpack and sat on Izumi's head.

"What did I miss?" Kero asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Nothing, Kero, just listen, okay?" Izumi replied and started on her explanation.

**Flashback...**

"I'm going to beat you!" Izumi shouted at Tetsuya. They were neck and neck and time was just about to run out.

"Oh, no, you won't!" Tetsuya replied and sped up. Izumi saw his action and sped up as well. They were both aiming for the bench at which they started. They both wanted to get there before time ran out, making them a lap ahead of the other.

They were just about to get there when Tetsuya's watch beeped, meaning the time was over. Neither of them accomplished what they wanted to. Tetsuya put in the brake and stopped right before the bench, sighing. Izumi couldn't do the brake and actually fell over the bench and into a pile of mud. She landed with a big plop and sprayed Tetsuya with mud as well.

"What did you do that for?" Tetsuya shouted. Izumi was still down and very angry.

"I didn't do that on purpose!" Izumi shouted in reply. "I'm just a clutz!"

"You can say that again!" Tetsuya shouted back and Izumi fumed. She had never been this mad before.

"At least help me up!" Izumi shouted and held out her hand so Tetsuya could help her up. Tetsuya reluctantly grabbed her hand, but instead of pulling her out, she pulled him in. Izumi laughed hysterically. "I can't believe you fell for it!"

Tetsuya got so angry that he threw mud at Izumi. It hit her square in the face and he laughed. Izumi got mad and recoiled with a pile of mud herself.

So, it turned into a mud flinging frenzy until Izumi forfeited.

"I guess this can't get any worse," Izumi said. "Now that my dad's going to kill me and I'm never going to be able to get this mud out of my clothes. And this was the outfit Tomoyo made me. I'll never be able to explain it to her."

"Here," Tetsuya said. Izumi looked up at Tetsuya and saw that he handing her his jacket. "It's cold out here. You'll need it." With that, he got up from the mud and walked silently out of the park.

Izumi just sat in the mud and stared at where Tetsuya exited. 'HE gave ME HIS jacket?' she asked herself, confused. Then, she looked the jacket over. "Oh well, his loss."

She got up and put the jacket on which was a tiny bit too big for her, but she didn't mind. It was a cool jacket, even though it had belonged to Tetsuya. Boy, were the girls in school going to kill her for it!

**Izumi's Room, Present...**

"And that's what happened," Izumi finished. Tomoyo was smiling widely and Meiling looked confused.

"He gave you his jacket because it was cold outside?" Meiling asked. "And yet, you guys hate each other still?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to like him just because he gave me his jacket?" Izumi asked.

"Yes," Tomoyo replied and smiled sweetly. "You cannot tell me that you don't think he is cute."

"Actually," Izumi said, "every time I think that, I just say to myself, 'He's a baka, he's a baka, he's a baka, he's a baka, but he's a sexy baka." Izumi covered her mouth and widened her eyes. "Did I just say what I think I said?"

Tomoyo giggled and Meiling smirked. "You just said that Tetsuya was sexy," Meiling said, still smirking.

Izumi frowned. "I didn't mean it like that at all," Izumi said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then, how _did_ you mean it?" Tomoyo questioned.

Izumi blushed. "Well-I-you see-um-" Izumi started, but Kero cut in.

"You cannot possibly like that stupid gaki?" Kero asked, angry.

Izumi whacked Kero lightly in the head with her paper fan that was on her desk. "Don't call Tetsuya a gaki," Izumi said and Meiling and Tomoyo smiled. "Call him a baka," she added which made Meiling and Tomoyo sigh sadly.

Just then, a feeling hit Izumi and she stood up. Kero flew up to look out the window. "What is it?" Tomoyo asked, concerned.

"A Clow Card," Izumi whispered. Tomoyo's eyes brightened.

"Then, wear this!" Tomoyo shouted and pulled an outfit out from behind her. Meiling, Kero, and Izumi sweatdropped.

Izumi grabbed the outfit and went into her bathroom to change.

A few minutes later, she came out of the bathroom. She was wearing cute red boots, red shorts, a red top that had sleeves that were long and ruffled, and a red beret type hat. Tomoyo smiled when she came out. "Whatever happened to the innocent little girl outfits you used to make for Sakura?" Meiling asked Tomoyo.

"I just think Izumi has a different style than Sakura," Tomoyo answered.

"Let's just get going already!" Izumi shouted and took out her key.

"_Oh, Key of Clow,_

_Power of magic, power of light,_

_Surrender the wand,_

_The force ignite._

_Release!"_

She took out two of her cards and shouted, _"Mirror, Fly! Release and dispel! MIRROR! FLY!"_ Her staff grew wings at the back and she got on while the Mirror Card waited for instruction. "Mirror, can you change into me and say to anyone who comes up that Tomoyo and Meiling are-um-"

"Doing their make up!" Meiling answered and Izumi just looked at her strange. Meiling shrugged at Izumi. "It's what I'd be doing."

"Right!" Izumi said and helped Tomoyo on her staff, followed by Meiling. Mirror changed into Izumii and the others left towards the park.

Tomoyo had her camera out and was filming the way there while Izumi and Meiling searched for any sign of the Clow Card or Tetsuya.

"There he is!" Tomoyo shouted, pointing towards the ground.

"The Clow Card?" Izumi asked.

"No, Tetsuya!" Meiling answered and Izumi sweatdropped. She looked down at the ground and noticed that they were right, Tetsuya was running towards Penguin Park.

'Of course, all the Clow Cards are at Penguin Park,' Izumi thought before landing down at Penguin Park. Fly disappeared and she held out her wand. _"SWORD!"_ Her wand turned into a sword and she held it at the ready. Two figures were walking towards them.

Tomoyo's and Meiling's eyes widened. "Sakura/Syaoran?" they said at the same time when the figures came into the light.

Then, Tetsuya jumped down from a tree behind Izumi, Meiling, and Tomoyo. "So they're Sakura-san and Li-san," Izumi said. Her eyes widened. "Hey, wait, didn't you say they were dead!??!!??!?!!"

Tomoyo and Meiling nodded, their eyes never going off the figures of Sakura and Syaoran coming ever so closer.

"What card can bring people back from the dead?" Izumi asked, taking a step back.

Kero poked his head out of Izumi's hat, where he was safely riding. "Sakura!?!?!" he asked and his eyes got huge as he looked at the figures coming closer. The figures stopped when they were about 20 feet away.

"This can't be the power of a Clow Card, can it Kero?" Izumi asked frantically. "I mean, that's not Sakura and Syaoran, right?"

"No, they can't be back," Kero answered.

"Then, what is happening!?!?" Izumi asked.

Her question wasn't answered for the figures of Sakura and Syaoran both pulled out swords. Syaoran jumped right for Izumi and she blocked him with her sword, but it was sudden, so she wasn't that prepared. Tetsuya, seeing that Syaoran was going after Izumi, went after Sakura. They locked swords as well.

Syaoran was way too tough for Izumi to hold so finally Syaoran pulled through and almost cut her across the stomach, but she moved in the nick of time. Syaoran pulled his sword up and swung at Izumi again and she tried to move out of the way, but he got the ends of her hair, which is very short, so only a few centimeters could've killed her.

Sakura wasn't as good with a sword, but she had the tricks. She moved fast, faster than the real Sakura ever could. Tetsuya almost couldn't touch her, but managed to knock her sword away. Sakura smiled and tripped Tetsuya and took his sword. She pointed it right at Tetsuya's throat.

"We could really use some help, Kero!" Izumi cried when she noticed that Sakura was going to kill Tetsuya. Kero rushed over to Syaoran and stuck his tongue out at him, making him glare and turn towards Kero instead of Izumi.

Izumi rushed to Sakura and Tetsuya and shoved Sakura to the ground, just as she was going to kill Tetsuya. Tetsuya's sword flew out of Sakura's hand, but just as Tetsuya was reaching for it, Syaoran pointed his sword at him.

Sakura reached for her own fallen sword and pointed it at Izumi before she could even pull hers up. "Kero, where are you?" Izumi asked in a whisper. Then she spotted him against a tree, looking hurt. 'Syaoran must've got him,' Izumi thought.

Syaoran and Sakura both lifted their swords, but stopped because Tomoyo had jumped in front of Sakura and Syaoran (a/n: They were standing beside each other and so were Tetsuya and Izumi). "Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said with tears in her eyes. "How could you do this to them!? This isn't like you at all! Please stop this!"

Sakura glared at Tomoyo and shoved her out of the way. Tomoyo fell to her knees with tears still in her eyes. "Tomoyo!" Izumi yelled, but she couldn't move because Sakura's sword was pointed right at her throat.

"That's the last straw!" a voice yelled from behind Sakura and Syaoran. "I'm not going to let you hurt my friends anymore!!!!"

Sakura and Syaoran turned around just as a figure stepped in the light of the moon. It was Meiling, but she was different. Her eyes were burning with fire and hatred. "You aren't the real Sakura and Syaoran! I know it! Sakura and Syaoran were the nicest people I knew!" Meiling yelled at the top of her lungs. She was very angry and sad, but there were no tears shedding her eyes.

"You could see it in Sakura's eyes!" Meiling continued. "Her eyes told anyone that she was happy and sweet. And Syaoran was the same! He wasn't the type to take kindly to strangers, but he always protected me and we were always the best of friends!

"So you couldn't possibly be them!" Meiling cried and a red glow, almost like a burning fire, swarmed around the figures of Sakura and Syaoran. They were caught in the flame-like circle.

Izumi grabbed her wand from the ground and held it out. _"Return to your power confined, Clow Card!"_ Izumi shouted and the images of Sakura and Syaoran disappeared. The burning fire disappeared as well and Meiling fell over from exhaustion.

"Meiling!" Izumi shouted and ran over to her. Tomoyo got up and ran over as well.

Meiling opened her eyes slightly before saying. "This was definitely a night I'll never forget, Izumi-chan," Meiling barely whispered before she fainted.

Izumi smiled. "I think this is yours," Tetsuya said, holding out a card to her. Izumi took it from him and he left the park. She examined the card. "So, it was and The Illusion Card all along!" Izumi exclaimed. "But, I have a question, Tomoyo."

"Yes, Izumi?" Tomoyo asked.

Izumi walked over to the tree where she saw Kero and picked him up gently in her arms. "If Meiling doesn't have any magical powers, then where did that burning fire come from?" Izumi asked.

"Love, Izumi," Tomoyo answered. "Meiling loved Sakura-chan and Li-kun more than almost anything and for them, she would give her life."

Izumi smiled at Meiling. She had to admit, Meiling had more to her than just a pretty face and an excellent fighter. She was a friend you could count on when you needed help and she was nothing less than the best fighter in the world to Izumi. Nothing could compete to what Meiling did tonight, nothing at all.

* * *

(a/n: I know you all loved that, right? At least all you Meiling lovers did! Just let me say that.) 


	9. Two New TeachersReally Freaky New Teache...

**Another Chance**

**By: Snow Horse**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

** typing **

**Chapter 8**

**Two New Teachers...Really Freaky New Teachers...**

"You most definitely have to visit us sometime, Meiling," Izumi said and hugged Meiling. They were at the airport and Meiling was just about to leave for Hong Kong. "E-mail me as many times as you can, okay?"

"I'll try, but I'll have a lot of training to do in order to be better help to you guys in the future," Meiling stated sadly.

"Are you kidding me?" Izumi replied. "You helped us out as much as possibly possible last night and I couldn't have caught that card without you."

Meiling smiled thoughtfully. "Thanks," she said.

"I really hope you can come back for the end of the school year festival this year, Meiling," Tomoyo stated sweetly. "Things just won't be the same without you around."

"Of course they won't," Meiling added. "Nothing's ever the same without Li Meiling there!" She smiled proudly and ran towards the plane, waving to the gang as she left. "Say good-bye to Tetsuya-kun for me!"

When Meiling left, Izumi stated, "That was aimed towards you, Tomoyo, because there is no way I'm going near that boy." She turned around and headed to the exit of the airport.

"Actually, I assumed she was talking to you, Izumi-chan," Tomoyo said, catching up to Izumi. "She was looking at you, not me."

"Fine, I'll talk to him in karate class today," Izumi replied when they got into Tomoyo's limo. Tomoyo was well, rich. She lived in a mansion-like house and had bodyguards. Izumi thought it a bit strange, but she went with it.

Izumi and Tomoyo arrived at school right on time. They walked in class just as the bell rang. Izumi had no chances to talk to Tetsuya at all during the first few periods, because he wasn't there at all. Tomoyo and Izumi thought it strange that he didn't come to school. Of course, they just went on with their day, reminding themselves that they would have to go to his house later that night to tell him what Meiling had said.

After lunch, was Karate Class yet again. This time, waiting for them weren't Mr. and Mrs. Oldeman, but two younger looking people. Izumi noticed that they didn't even look 20 yet. The girl had long flowing auburn hair with two small strands that fitted her face perfectly and bright emerald green eyes. The boy had messy chestnut hair and amber eyes. They were both wearing outfits that resembled the high school uniforms more than the teacher's uniforms.

When the bell rang, the girl smiled towards the class and you could just see all the guys sigh and stare. "Good afternoon, everyone," she said in a sweet, almost kid-like voice. "My name is Miss Hinacogee Keely and this is...um-" Miss Hinacogee looked at the boy for an answer.

"Mr. Huffer Kei," Mr. Huffer replied. "Mr. and Mrs. Oldeman were in an accident last night and are in the hospital today, so we will be taking over for a while."

Miss Hinacogee nodded. "Don't worry, you guys won't be disappointed in us if that's what you're thinking," Miss Hinacogee stated. "Te-I mean, Kei has practiced ever since he was a little kid and I've been through way too many fights to tell them all."

Suddenly, the gym door opened and Tetsuya stood there covered in rain. (A/n: It was raining outside, if I forgot to mention that...) He walked towards the bleachers and made squeaking noises as he walked.

"Mr. Li, I presume?" Mr. Huffer asked suddenly to Tetsuya.

Tetsuya glared at him. "Yes, and who are you?" he asked in a cold tone.

Mr. Huffer smirked and you could tell that Miss Hinacogee was trying to hold back laughter. "Mr. Huffer and this is Miss Hinacogee," he pointed towards the girl who smiled at Tetsuya, making him blush horribly, "and we're your new karate teachers."

Tetsuya glared for a second more and then took a seat on the bleachers. "Anyway, we'll have you pair up and show you the moves to get started in battles, so you don't just go clawing at each other like cats," Mr. Huffer said.

Miss Hinacogee smiled and laughed a little. "All of you, please pair up, and take a spot on one of the floor mats," she said sweetly.

As soon as she had said that, every mat near her was taken by pairs of guys and every mat near Mr. Huffer were taken up by pairs of girls. Izumi and Tomoyo sat in the middle of the two teachers and more towards the front, wanting to learn as much as they could.

"Maybe Miss Hinacogee was being too lenient on you all," Mr. Huffer stated. "You must be partnered with someone of the opposite gender. For all you stupid kids out there, girls with boys and boys with girls."

Miss Hinacogee elbowed Mr. Huffer in the stomach and whispered, "What was that about?"

"I'm trying to make them be friends again," Mr. Huffer replied, also in a whisper.

While the teachers were whispering, the kids paired up in twos, boys with girls and girls with boys. Tomoyo had already picked her partner and was sitting with him, but before she knew it, all the boys were taken, except one. 'Damn, I hate my life,' Izumi said as she headed towards Tetsuya who was also looking miserable.

Then, Mr. Huffer started to explain the first move. Izumi was paying attention until Tetsuya whispered, "Didn't you feel anything this morning?"

"Do you mean the faint feeling I had?" Izumi questioned in a whisper. "I didn't think it was anything to worry about."

"It wasn't faint for me," Tetsuya replied. "Maybe it was because you were farther away, but I definitely felt the presence of something, but it wasn't a Clow Card."

Izumi thought about it. "Then, what was it?" she asked, confused.

"I don't know," Tetsuya answered. "I tried to use Syaoran's old compass board to figure out who it was, but no luck."

"So you think it was a person?" Izumi asked, using her observing skills.

"Well, one or more people actually, because it felt different from a Clow Card, but whoever it was, they do have magic and lots of it," Tetsuya explained.

"This is so not good," Izumi replied and then sighed.

"Miss Hinako, if you like to talk, then tell everyone why self-defense is good for girls, as well as boys," Miss Hinacogee stated.

Izumi blushed. 'And I tell that how?' she thought to herself. "Oh, well, actually," then an idea hit her, "I know a girl who almost got killed by three lousy guys, but her mother, a fighting expert, kicked their butts one by one AND all while holding an ice cream cone." Izumi smiled, remembering the events of the bad future she had gone into.

Miss Hinacogee smiled, pleased with herself. Then, she started explaining the benefits of fighting. It was sort of boring until Mr. Huffer interrupted and told them the story of when Miss HInacogee saved him by using her fighting skills. Miss Hinacogee was blushing redder every second.

Class was over a while after that, and the rest of the day was super boring. "I think Mr. Huffer and Miss Hinacogee have a thing going on, what about you, Izumi?" Tomoyo asked after school. "They remind me of Sakura and Syaoran." She sighed, content with herself.

"I have a weird feeling, almost as if I've seen him before," Izumi stated, completely out of it.

"You mean Mr. Huffer?" Tomoyo asked Izumi.

"Hai, but where could it have been?" Izumi asked Tomoyo, confused.

"I say it was probably somewhere in town," Tomoyo replied. "Maybe you just remember his face or something."

Izumi sighed. "That's probably it," Izumi replied.

**Miss Hinacogee & Mr. Huffer...**

"Well, that was a fun class, don't you think?" Mr. Huffer said and smiled at Miss HInacogee. They were outside under a cherry blossom tree, sitting as if they were still little kids.

Miss Hinacogee sighed. "I could've sworn that Tetsuya was going to find out," she stated, afraid.

"Don't worry about it," Mr. Huffer replied. "You really think I was that smart back then?"

Miss Hinacogee blushed. "I really don't think you want the answer to that," she replied and they both laughed.

After they caught their breath, there was silence for a long time. "Tetsuya," Miss Hinacogee asked.

"Yea, Izumi?" Mr. Huffer answered who is actually Tetsuya, an older and stronger form of Tetsuya from the future.

"We have to make them be friends again AND catch the Return Card," Miss Hinacogee replied who is actually an older and stronger version of Izumi.

Tetsuya nodded. "This is way too weird," he said and sighed. Every time I think of them, I think if how mad I was at you then for not letting me capture the Clow Cards."

"I couldn't just let you have them and you never challenged me for them either, so really it was your own fault, because you could've easily defeated me and got them," Izumi replied. "All I remember is hating how you wanted to catch more of the Clow Cards." Izumi sighed. "It just bugged me, that's all."

Tetsuya laughed. "We fought with each other for years over nothing at all and then," Tetsuya started.

"The Thunder Card," Izumi finished. "The card that destroyed Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun...I was powerless against it."

"You had more power than I did, at least," Tetsuya replied. Izumi sat straight up, no longer leaning against the tree and looked Tetsuya straight in his amber eyes.

"But you protected me and I almost lost you," Izumi said softly. "Sakura-chan's hope and faith pulled me through and I will never forget that."

**Flashback to age 15(a/n: or should I say, Flashfuture?)**

"No!" Izumi shouted, realizing what Tetsuya had done. "Tetsuya!" The bolt of lightning that was going to hit her, hit Tetsuya instead. Izumi's eyes watered and tears poured down her face. She didn't want to know if Tetsuya was gone or not, the only thing she could do was to destroy The Thunder Card.

Izumi stood up and faced Thunder with that hateful look in her eyes. Its form was huge and coming right at her. She didn't notice the thunderbolt coming up behind her until it was too late. It hit her dead on and she got knocked out, sort of...

Izumi opened her eyes to see her bedroom ceiling. 'What the-' Izumi thought. She sat up and realized that it was her room. 'What happened? Where's Thunder?!'

"Get up, kaijuu or I'll have to come up there to get you," Jonouchi yelled from downstairs.

'Jonouchi?' Izumi asked in her head. 'Why am I here and not out fighting the card?'

Izumi got out of bed and ran over to her desk and looked all through it, but couldn't find Kero or her cell phone. She ran downstairs and rushed to the phone. She called Tomoyo's cell phone and she picked up.

"Tomoyo! What's going on? Where's Thunder and why am I here?" Izumi asked.

"Who is this?" Tomoyo asked on the other end.

"Izumi," Izumi replied, confused. "Who do you think it would be? Now, what is going on?"

"Oh, Hinako-san, I didn't know you knew my phone number," Tomoyo answered.

'Hinako-san?' Izumi questioned in her thoughts.

"Are you okay, Hinako-san?" Tomoyo asked thoughtfully.

Izumi was astonished. Her best friend called her Hinako-san. "I have to go, Daidouji-san," Izumi said and hung up. 'I can't believe I just called Tomoyo, Daidouji-san,' Izumi thought and almost cried. 'Tetsuya! What happened to him!? I have to go to Penguin Park!'

Izumi ran out the door with her pajamas still on and arrived at Penguin Park. Nothing and no one was there. It was empty. There were no signs that a battle had ever taken place.

And there, she cried. She cried her eyes out and just couldn't stop. When she was all worn out, a voice spoke in her head, 'Why do you remember something others do not?'

'Huh?' Izumi asked.

'You remember something that has never existed to others and you love someone whom you have never met,' the voice continued.

"What do you mean?" Izumi asked again.

'You cry for something that has never existed to you and you cry for someone whom has never known you,' the voice was speaking really odd and she couldn't understand it.

"Never existed?"

'You have a smile that is worth a thousand words and a heart that is worth more and yet, you believe that these things are true.'

Izumi shuddered. 'Are you saying that the Clow Cards don't exist and it was all a dream? Everything? Tomoyo? Meiling? Tetsuya? Everything? Even Kero?'

'Believe in what is unbelievable and love who you do not know. Please continue your life as you are and always know that people love you.'

Then, the voice was gone. "So, it was all a dream?" Izumi asked herself. "How could I have been that stupid to believe it was true." She let a single tear flow down her cheek.

"But, it had to have been real," she said to herself. Flashes of Tomoyo, Meiling, and Tetsuya ran through her head. "I'm right and you're wrong!" Suddenly, she was shouting at nothing. "The Clow Cards are real! I know they are! And Tetsuya, Meiling, Tomoyo, Kero, they're all my friends!!!"

A glowing light surrounded her, making everything white and then, she was back with Thunder and it was staring right into her face.

'My fantasy failed?' Thunder asked. 'How did it fail when it worked for people who are much stronger than you fetal creature?'

"It failed because I know that Sakura and Syaoran risked their lives capturing the Clow Cards and I wouldn't be in Tomoeda if they weren't gone!" Izumi shouted at Thunder. "It was Sakura's voice that talked to me, I know it. She told me that everything was a dream so I could realize that it wasn't! She gave me the strength to pull through even when I thought I was down!"

Izumi raised her wand at Thunder and cried, _"Clow Card, return to you power confined! THUNDER!"_ She slammed her staff down and Thunder returned to his form as a card in peace.

Izumi spun around and there on the ground was Tetsuya, surrounded by Tomoyo and Kero. She walked over to them in silence and then asked quietly, "Is he going to be okay?" She swallowed, knowing what the answer was going to be.

Tomoyo didn't look up at Izumi and Izumi just fell to her knees beside Tetsuya. She couldn't help, but cry, for she knew he would never get up. "I-I'm s-sorry, Tetsuya, f-for everyt-thing," Izumi choked out and closed her eyes at the sight of Tetsuya.

"I'm sorry, too." Izumi looked at Tetsuya and then widened her eyes. His eyes were open and he was alive. Izumi's tears continued, but now, they were tears of joy. Tetsuya sat up and Izumi threw her arms around him and smiled. Tetsuya got red, but didn't mind that much at all.

Tomoyo just sat there, filming the whole thing. When Izumi let go of Tetsuya, they both stood up, Tetsuya leaning on Izumi for support. Tomoyo stood up as well, still filming. Kero flew up beside her, not liking Tetsuya leaning on the Card Mistress.

**Back in the Present...**

"I still can't believe that was a whole year ago," Izumi said. "We fought for 5 years before we made up." She sighed.

"Still, I have to admit, it was fun being mad at you," Tetsuya replied and Izumi whacked him in the head. "Hey!"

"I'd rather us be friends than enemies," Izumi stated. 'And I'd rather have us be more than friends than just friends,' she thought, but didn't say it.

"Return is the last Clow Card," Tetsuya replied. "When we capture it, all the Clow Cards will be captured."

Izumi's face saddened. "Then, you'll have to go home," she said, choking back tears. "Still, I'm glad that the Clow Cards existed. I know that this is rude, but I'm both sad and glad about what happened to Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun. If they wouldn't have died, I would've never met you, Tomoyo, Meiling, and Kero."

"It's not rude admitting that you were glad as long as you have a good reason," Tetsuya replied. "If you were to just like that they were dead, then it'd be bad, but liking that you met us because of it isn't really bad at all."

Izumi breathed in and out again. "Okay," she said in a little bit confused tone. She stood up. "Well, what are we going to do now? You and I-I mean-Izumi and Tetsuya still hate each other and Return will be coming back soon. We have to find some way that we can get them together without showing who we are and without letting them anywhere near Return, but they have to still catch Clow Cards, just not Return or the whole space time continuum will be ruined."

Tetsuya got up as well. "Right," he said. "So, do you remember what you did today after school?"

"I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, how am I supposed to remember what I did 6 years ago?" Izumi asked him.

Tetsuya sweatdropped. "I remember you coming over to my house to tell me that Meiling said good-bye and you were being weird the whole time," he said.

"That was today!" Izumi exclaimed. "Jeez, I didn't know it was this soon. Meiling left this morning?"

"Yes," Tetsuya replied. "I remember the exact date and time she left and it was definitely today."

Izumi groaned. "You mean I had to go through almost 5 years of liking you before we actually made up!? That is so rude! I thought I started liking you after Meiling left the following year, not the first time!" Izumi practically shouted.

"Wait a second," Tetsuya said. "You started liking me that long ago and I only found out a couple of months ago!?!"

"Yes, and I was tortured every time I saw you at the thought of you hating me until we made up and then, I felt loads better," Izumi replied.

Tetsuya suddenly got an idea. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "If you talk to Izumi and tell her to tell Tetsuya her feelings then maybe we can get them to be friends again or even more than that."

"I don't think that will work," Izumi replied and started walking towards the gate out of the school yard. Tetsuya followed and walked beside her. "I wasn't ready to admit my feelings then. I didn't even know what they meant. I was really confused every time I saw you."

"But you went through it," Tetsuya replied. "What made you tell me your feelings a few months ago?"

Izumi thought about it. "The fact that Tomoyo gave me a picture of you and me back when we were first starting out and Meiling made me a frame to put the picture in," Izumi stated and smiled. "It was the best present I had ever gotten and then I knew I had to tell you my feelings before it was too late."

"Tomoyo has a regular camera and a video camera?" Tetsuya asked unbelievingly.

"Yep!" Izumi replied. She opened her bag and pulled out a picture frame. "This is it."

The picture was of Izumi and Tetsuya right after Izumi caught the Fight card. Izumi was in the middle of a jump to hug Tetsuya who had a frightened face on. Meiling and Kero were in the background, Meiling laughing and Kero angry.

The frame had sayings all over it, sayings that Tetsuya and Izumi said to each other over the course Meiling was there. They were all put together as if in a collage. It was wonderful.

"Then, just show her this and she will tell her feelings to me-I mean, Tetsuya," Tetsuya replied.

"What!?" Izumi replied. "No way! I can't do that! If I do, then Tomoyo and Meiling wouldn't be able to give me this and I wouldn't have been as surprised as I was and as happy as I was to see it."

"Well, there has to be another way," Tetsuya replied. "Why didn't you want to tell your feelings to me? I mean, you said you were confused, but why were you confused about them? Weren't you ever in love before?"

Izumi looked at him and smiled. "You know that old saying, 'It's better to have loved and lost to have never loved at all'?" she asked him.

"Yea," Tetsuya replied, wondering what this had to do with the question.

"Well, I have been in love before and I've lost love before," Izumi replied sadly. "I actually had a happier life before I fell in love than after I lost love. I'd say that it's better to have never loved than to have loved and lost. That's why I was afraid. See, for some reason, which then I didn't know, this feeling felt different from anything else I've ever felt so I was afraid of being hurt again. I told myself that I'd rather love you from afar and see you happy than to be rejected by you and live the rest of my life thinking about it."

Tetsuya sighed. "It didn't go that way with me," he said. "I've never liked anyone enough to ever love them and when you told me your feelings, I was astonished." Then he paused and laughed. Izumi blinked, confused. "Actually, I was pretty mad."

Izumi got worried. "Why were you mad at me?" she asked.

"I was mad, but I didn't know why," Tetsuya answered. "I just got angry, not at you, really, at myself more. It was weird. Then, Tomoyo called me to ask what you told me and I let my anger out on her."

Izumi laughed. 'At least it wasn't released on me,' she thought.

"Tomoyo, thinking it was funny, came over my apartment in a flash with every single videotape of us from the very beginning," Tetsuya continued. "She made me sit down and watch them all."

"Tomoyo knows some good torture techniques," Izumi replied and smiled wide. "She's used that one on me tons of times. I really just fell asleep after the first 20, but then wake up at around 35."

Tetsuya laughed. "Well, it wasn't torture for me at all," he replied.

"Really?" Izumi asked. "You liked watching the tapes?"

"It reminded me of all the times we were actually friends and all the times we fought over Clow Cards," Tetsuya replied. "And it made me realize that I was only mad because I didn't know what the other feeling I felt then was."

"What was it?" Izumi asked.

"Love," Tetsuya replied, "for you." (A/n: go aww now...................okay, you can stop)

Izumi blushed red, but smiled at him nonetheless. "I have an idea!" Izumi exclaimed suddenly and then brought Tetsuya down to her level so she could whisper it to him.

When she was done, Tetsuya asked, "How would that help?"

"Time will take care of itself, we just have to let it go and hope that our presence here will somehow change the future for us, but not too drastically that we aren't together or something worse," Izumi replied. "We have to find and catch Return as soon as possible or our future may be damaged greatly in the process."


	10. Return’s Ability Is Revealed

**Another Chance**

**By: Snow Horse**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

**typing **

**Chapter 9**

**Return's Ability Is Revealed**

"Well, I'm turning here, Tomoyo-chan," Izumi said and sighed. "I forgot to tell Tetsuya about Meiling in karate class so I have to go to his apartment and tell him now."

Tomoyo giggled. "Have fun, Izumi-chan!" Tomoyo said before walking towards her house.

Izumi narrowed her eyes at her. "What are you thinking!?" Izumi shouted, but Tomoyo just laughed and waved at her. Izumi sighed. "I swear that girl has problems."

Izumi walked down the street and then stopped suddenly. "It was right around here," she whispered to herself, looking around for something. "Man, where is it?" Then she spotted what she was looking for. "There's his apartment!"

She was just about to run towards his apartment when a feeling hit her.

Izumi widened her eyes. "That was strong," Izumi whispered to herself. "I wonder if Li heard it...maybe I should tell him about it. I guess that would only be fair."

She ran towards the door and rang the doorbell for his apartment. "Come on, come on!" Izumi whispered.

Just then, the door opened. Tetsuya stood there. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.

"Well, first, I was coming to say that Meiling told me to tell you good-bye, but just a few seconds ago, I felt the presence of a really strong Clow Card and I thought it only fair if I told you as well, just so we would have an even chance at it," Izumi said all in one breath. For some reason, she felt really hot and all tongue tied when she tried talking to him. 'That's odd,' Izumi thought to herself.

Tetsuya raised an eyebrow. "You want this to be a fair capture for either of us?" he asked.

Izumi nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Fine, but I'm not going easy on you because you're stupid," he said coldly and Izumi stuck her tongue out in reply.

"_FLY!"_ Izumi yelled and her wand grew wings. See, her wand could now automatically know when she wanted to call on it, so she didn't have to say the saying to open it any longer, kind of like Tetsuya's sword. Izumi got on her wand and said, "You can come along too, if you want."

"Fine, but when we get there, we're enemies," Tetsuya replied and got on as well.

They flew towards Penguin Park, but when they got there, two people were already fighting the card, which looked a lot like a tall girl with elf-like ears in a long robe and holding a blue clock. "Who are they?" Izumi asked Tetsuya, pointing to the two people fighting the card.

The girl had a purple outfit, consisting of a long hat with a point at the end and two pieces covering her ears, a thick strapped tank top with a long cape behind her, a short skort, tall over the knee boots, and a face mask that covered her nose and mouth.

The boy had a blue outfit, consisting of a shorter version of the long hat the girl had, a long sleeved shirt with a long cape behind him, long baggy type pants, short ankle boots, and a mask that covered his nose and mouth.

"I don't know, but we have to seal that card before they do," Tetsuya replied and Izumi nodded. She landed behind some trees and her wand turned back into a wand.

"I was wondering when you would get here," a voice said behind them. Izumi spun around and standing there, camera in hand, was Tomoyo.

"What are you doing here, Tomoyo-chan?" Izumi asked.

"I saw those two coming here, flying actually, and well, I followed them," Tomoyo replied. "When I saw that it was a Clow Card, I got out my camera." Tomoyo smiled sweetly. "I got some really good scenes on here, of course, it was all very confusing."

Izumi turned toward Tetsuya to see what they should do, but when she did, he was gone already.

**The Older Versions of Izumi & Tetsuya...**

"Return just had to come now, didn't it?" Tetsuya asked Izumi as they were flying towards Penguin Park. "Ruining the whole night for us, that stupid card."

"The sooner we catch it, the sooner we get out of here and stop messing up this time," Izumi replied. "Besides, we didn't have any plans for tonight." Then she paused. "Unless you were planning something that I didn't know about."

Tetsuya smirked. "Maybe I was," he replied and Izumi sighed.

"Let's just hope neither of us felt that card," Izumi stated. They arrived at the park and flew down to land. "If either one of us did, then we're in big trouble."

"I'm not worried about me feeling it, I'm worried about you feeling it and then trying to catch it on your own again," Tetsuya replied.

Suddenly, the wind started up. There was a rush of leaves in one place and then Return appeared. Tetsuya and Izumi stood side by side, both glaring at it. Then they looked at each other and nodded.

Tetsuya took off and tried to slice it with his sword, but suddenly he was back beside Izumi. Izumi blinked and then groaned. "I don't think that will work," she said.

"Sorry, but you have to try all the possibilities," Tetsuya answered.

Return's clock glowed suddenly and Tetsuya stepped in front of Izumi, thinking that Return was going to send them back into time again. Instead, the ground started shaking and then holes appeared in the ground and creatures started coming up from them.

"_SWORD!"_ Izumi yelled and her wand turned into a sword. "I didn't know Return could return the dead!"

"It can't, they're not alive, just like undead or something," Tetsuya answered and then sliced one in half that came close to them. He then had to move away from Izumi, in order to get closer to Return in the process of killing zombies.

"Oh, that's a lot better!" Izumi yelled and locked swords with one of the zombies, it was like a pirate sort of person. The zombie jumped back and then another one was just about to slice Izumi's head from behind when she heard a sword clang, sword against sword. She ducked in the nick of time, when two swords flew over her head, one held by the zombie and one held by the young Tetsuya.

Izumi widened her eyes and then glanced around for the young Izumi, but didn't see anyone else, so instead she swung her foot around in a full circle, knocking both the zombie and Tetsuya to the ground.

The older Tetsuya, on the other hand, had bigger problems. He was fighting a whole bunch of militia men and they all had guns, so you just see him jumping around trying to dodge every shot.

"We've got a problem over here!" the older Izumi yelled and the did a round off back handspring to avoid another sword.

"I've got bigger problems over here!" the older Tetsuya yelled back, dodging another shot.

"I'm not talking about the zombies, I'm talking about the ten-year-old kid that just showed up!" Izumi shouted back, kicking a zombie in the stomach.

"Who are you calling kid?" the younger Tetsuya shouted to the older Izumi. He was also fighting the pirate zombies.

"_TIME!"_ a voice yelled from behind the trees.

"NO!" Izumi and Tetsuya both yelled and then all the zombies stopped suddenly. Even Return stopped suddenly.

"They can't both be here!" Izumi cried, before slicing a still pirate zombie with her sword.

The younger Izumi jumped down from a tree and smiled. She was holding the Time Card. "Show off," the younger Tetsuya muttered under his breath.

The older Tetsuya sighed and walked over to Izumi. "Erase?" he asked.

Izumi nodded and took out a card from her pocket._ "ERASE! Erase all the zombies_!" Suddenly, the zombies all disappeared. Time was wearing off and right when it did, the older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya spun around to where Return was, but she was gone.

The younger versions of Izumi and Tetsuya were really confused and then Tetsuya asked in a cold tone, "Who are you?"

The older Izumi saddened her eyes at him and then yelled, _"DASH!"_ Then, the older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya were both gone within a few seconds.

"That was way strange!" Izumi said and then Tomoyo ran over to Izumi and hugged her.

"You were great!" she said and smiled.

"I didn't do anything, Tomoyo-chan," Izumi replied and sweatdropped.

"That's right, you didn't do anything," Tetsuya stated in a cold tone. "While you were waiting for the perfect moment to use Time, we were fighting our hardest to try and beat those zombies."

"Don't be so harsh, Li-kun, you know if it wasn't for Izumi-chan, than you would all be dead," Tomoyo replied with a confident tone.

"I highly doubt that," Tetsuya replied. "You weren't paying attention." He paused. "Those two people were highly skilled and I highly think we could've beaten them and captured that Clow Card. Time made the Clow Card disappear."

"We have to figure out who they were and why they were after that Clow Card before we do anything else," Izumi replied. "Besides, we don't even know what Clow Card that was." She turned around and started to walk out of the park. "I'll talk to Kero and maybe, I'll tell you tomorrow at school."

Tomoyo followed Izumi out of the park and left Tetsuya stand there with his own thoughts.

"When we get to your house, Izumi-chan, we have to watch this video of those two," Tomoyo stated. "Maybe we can get an idea of their fighting style or their weakness." She paused. "Of course, half of it is cut out, because you used Time, but I don't mind."

"I just want to know who they were and why they want the Clow Cards," Izumi replied in a sad tone. 'Just when I think I've got everything figured out about my life, thousands of new problems arise,' she thought and sighed.

"They didn't try to take your cards, Izumi-chan, just Return," Tomoyo pointed out.

"That's true, but why only Return?" Izumi asked. "Does it have a power we haven't seen yet or something?"

Tomoyo shrugged her shoulders. "I just can't wait to see the footage of those two fighting the zombies!" Tomoyo almost screamed, her eyes shining.

Izumi sweatdropped. "You act like they're Tetsuya and me or something," Izumi replied and Tomoyo stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong, Tomoyo-chan?" Izumi stopped and turned around.

"I just have to get home, we'll watch the tape tomorrow," Tomoyo replied and then she was off, running the other way towards her house.

Izumi blinked. 'What was that all about?' she asked herself and then shrugged her shoulders and walked the rest of the way to her own house.

**The Older Versions of Izumi & Tetsuya...**

"I can't believe they didn't figure it out yet, especially you, Tetsuya," Izumi said as she sat down on their couch. They had rented an apartment for the time they would spend in this time. It was a very small one though, without much room, but with two bedrooms.

"Like I said, I wasn't that smart, Izumi," Tetsuya replied and sat beside her.

Izumi sighed. "It's just our fighting style should be recognizable, shouldn't it?" Izumi asked.

"Well, I'd have to say that you've grown to be a better fighter than you were back then, and you've learned to use your gymnastic moves in fights as well as your sword," Tetsuya answered. "So, I can see why Izumi didn't recognize your style, but about mine." He stopped suddenly and thought about it.

"You've been a great fighter ever since you were little, and really, you haven't gotten a new style, have you?" Izumi asked again.

"Actually..." Tetsuya started, but cut himself off.

"Actually what?" Izumi asked and raised an eyebrow at him. Tetsuya smiled secretively.

"I've taught you all I know and in return, you've taught me all your moves," Tetsuya said simply.

Izumi turned her head to the side. "Hoe?" she asked, confused.

"Last month, you used a move that brought me down to the ground, and I learned that move by seeing it done," Tetsuya explained.

Izumi smiled. "Then, I guess we've both taught each other," Izumi replied. Then, Izumi's eyes saddened.

"What's wrong?" Tetsuya asked and put his hands on her shoulders.

"It's the look you gave me," Izumi replied.

"What look?" Tetsuya asked.

"Not you, little Tetsuya," Izumi answered. "The look he gave me was so cold and I could barely bare it. I just never want to see that again."

"You won't," Tetsuya replied with a smile that made Izumi look him in the eyes. "I promise." (A/n: awww...sorry, continue...just had to say that ) Their faces got closer and closer until they shared a sweet and gentle kiss. (A/n: Do you know how weird it is writing a kissing scene...it just feels weird...anyway, aww........)

* * *

A/n: Sorry to end it so quick, but I like that ending the best. Sorry that it's a little lame too, but I'm just not good at kissing scenes so everything from here on will be just weird. Anyway, send your feedback, good things, bad things, love 'em both! What suddenly happened to Tomoyo anyway? Where DID she run off to in such a hurry? And will Izumi and Tetsuya ever realize that Miss Hinacogee and Mr. Huffer are actually future versions of themselves? What's with the Return Card and will they ever capture it? Will Tetsuya and Izumi ever be friends again? Find out in the next chapter of Another Chance: T style! (T stands for my favorite character Tomoyo!) 


	11. A Stick Fight in Karate Class and Kero M...

**Another Chance**

**By: Snow Horse**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

**typing **

**Chapter 10**

**A Stick Fight in Karate Class and Kero Meets The Older I&T**

"This is just perfect," the older Izumi said and sighed. Her teacher's uniform was nowhere to be seen and she was going to be late for her first class, which was Izumi's and Tetsuya's class because it had gotten switched to the morning for them all.

"What's wrong?" the older Tetsuya asked, standing in the doorway of Izumi's room.

"I can't find my uniform!" Izumi practically shouted as she grabbed some things from under the bed and threw them across the room, almost hitting Tetsuya in the head.

"Did you look in your closet?" Tetsuya asked.

"Yes."

"Dresser?"

"Yes."

"My room?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow at him. "Why would it be in your room?" she asked, confused.

Tetsuya laughed. "Don't worry, it's in the laundry room where you left it last night after taking it out of the dryer," he replied with a smirk after he stopped laughing.

Izumi glared at him. "You could've told me that earlier, now we'll be late for our first class," she stated and went to get her uniform.

"And that's unusual?" Tetsuya asked skeptically.

Izumi turned around and stuck her tongue out at him before continuing her walk to get her uniform.

**The Younger Izumi...**

'I wonder where Tomoyo is,' Izumi thought to herself. 'I haven't talked to her since last night.' Izumi was on her way to school on her roller blades and was just absentmindedly skating. Her thoughts were with the two unknown Cardcaptors, Tomoyo's disappearance, and Tetsuya.

She arrived at school just in time to catch the bell and ran into the gym and onto the bleachers in a flash. She glanced around, but couldn't find Tomoyo anywhere. 'That's odd, Tomoyo would never miss class,' she thought to herself. Then she spotted Tetsuya.

Izumi rushed over to him and still standing, asked, "Have you seen Tomoyo-chan?" Her voice had a little sadness in it.

"Haven't seen her all morning," Tetsuya replied in an absentminded tone. He was reading a book and seemed really into it.

Izumi sighed and just sat down on the spot. 'Where is she?' she asked herself.

**The Older Versions of Izumi and Tetsuya...**

"I told you we would be late, Tetsuya, you never listen to me!" Izumi yelled at Tetsuya as they arrived at school at the bell, breathing hard.

"I do so listen to you, Izumi!" Tetsuya replied.

They stood glaring at each other for a while until a voice made them widen their eyes.

"You two will never change," it said and then they looked towards the voice and saw a video camera and then Tomoyo's face was in view. "I couldn't resist taping the moments of my friends' future!" She stood up straight, her eyes shining.

Izumi and Tetsuya just stared at her, confused.

"I know who you are," Tomoyo replied, seeing their confused faces. "I'm not as dense as Izumi and as proud as Tetsuya, so I figured it out."

Izumi blinked. "Sorry, but we have no idea what you are talking about, Miss Daidouji," Izumi replied, trying to look confused and trying to hide her fear at the same time.

Tomoyo smiled wickedly at them and then replied, "I think you do, Izumi-san." At her name, Izumi got an angry look on her face and then turned to Tetsuya.

"How could you have told her!?" Izumi yelled at him.

Tetsuya got angry at Izumi. "What do you mean by that!?" Tetsuya replied. "I didn't tell her, you did!"

Tetsuya and Izumi glared at each other. "Neither of you told me, I figured it out on my own!" Tomoyo screamed at them both, knowing they were so dense to think that either one of them would tell. "The 10-year-old Izumi said, 'You act like those two are Tetsuya and me or something,' after I said that I couldn't wait to see the footage I shot of you two last night." She paused. "And then, I figured it out!"

Izumi sighed. "Tomoyo-san, you have to promise not to tell Izumi or Tetsuya about us or time could be ruined," she said quietly. "We came here to capture Return, because Return brought us here and we have to catch it, not the younger versions of ourselves, because if they do, then our future might change drastically."

Tomoyo's eyes shined and she clasped her hands together. "A romantic tale of two lovers fighting an evil Clow Card," she said serenely. "I just can't wait to film some more of it!" She brought up her camera and started filming them again.

Izumi and Tetsuya sweatdropped. "Tomoyo-san," Izumi groaned and then realized something. "We're late!" She flew off in the direction of the gym and Tomoyo and Tetsuya sweatdropped behind her.

"Still as late as ever," Tomoyo stated.

"Yea, but this time it wasn't her fault," Tetsuya replied and sighed. Then, they set off after Izumi.

**The Younger Izumi...**

'Man, where are the teachers?' Izumi asked herself and sighed. 'And Tomoyo, where are you?'

Suddenly, the gym doors opened and Tomoyo silently walked through, holding her camera, followed by Mr. Huffer and Mis Hinacogee. Tomoyo walked up and sat down beside Izumi.

"Where were you?" Izumi asked in a whisper.

"Attending to some business," Tomoyo replied with a smile.

"Sorry we're late," Mr. Huffer announced, "but Miss Hinacogee had troubles finding her uniform this morning."

Miss Hinacogee glared at Mr. Huffer. "I wouldn't have had troubles if you had told me where it was," she replied. "Well, anyway, today we'll be fighting with sticks." She smiled at the class before pointing to the box of sticks in front of them. "In an orderly fashion, get one and pair up with someone-"

"Of the opposite gender," Mr. Huffer finished and the class got to it.

Miss Hinacogee walked over to Mr Huffer and whispered, "There's an odd number today, someone won't have a partner."

Mr. Huffer shrugged and replied, "One of us will just have to be his or her partner."

Miss Hinacogee got a worried look on her face as she watched everybody pair up.

Izumi paired with someone from her math class and Tomoyo paired with someone from her English class. The person who was alone was-

"Mr. Li," Mr. Huffer announced after everyone had partners except for Tetsuya, "you will be partnered with Miss Hinacogee." Miss Hinacogee glared at Mr. Huffer before sitting beside Tetsuya on a blue mat.

'This is so not good,' Miss Hinacogee thought. 'If Tetsuya recognizes my fighting style, I'm doomed, but I guess it will be harder for him to recognize mine than Tetsuya's. Still, he watched me last night more than he did Tetsuya. What would happen if he were to beat me? I mean, what would the rest of the class think? This is really bad.'

"We will have a practice fight between the partners to see how much you know," Mr. Huffer explained. "When someone drops their stick, they lose."

'Why did it have to be me that didn't have a partner?' Mr. Huffer asked himself. 'I'm so stubborn sometimes. I just can't admit that I would rather have Izumi as a friend than an enemy. If Tetsuya beats Izumi, then we're dead.'

"Begin!" Mr. Huffer shouted and everyone started.

(A/n: Focusing on Younger Tetsuya and Older Izumi here, k?)

Izumi and Tetsuya both stood up and waited for the other to move. 'He'll move first, because he can't be patient,' Miss Hinacogee thought and smiled with her glare.

'She thinks I'm going to move first, but I'm not,' Tetsuya thought in his head.

So, for the next few minutes they both just stood there, glaring at each other. Then, an idea hit Miss Hinacogee. Instead of glaring with her eyes, she softened them and smiled a sweet looking smile. Tetsuya blushed red at her smile, but never kept his eyes off her because he could sense that she was up to something.

Meanwhile, Mr. Huffer was helping the rest of the class with their moves and watching what mistakes they made. When he glanced over at Miss Hinacogee and Tetsuya, they were still standing there, with Tetsuya as red as a tomato and Miss Hinacogee smiling at him. Mr. Huffer rolled his eyes. 'I'm being stubborn again,' he told himself and got back to helping the other kids.

"I'm not going to break first so you should just move," Tetsuya told Miss Hinacogee.

"Sorry, but I never give up, not even when the tide is against me," Miss Hinacogee replied.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Tetsuya asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It means, that even if an opponent is better at fighting than I am, I'll still keep fighting until the very end," Miss Hinacogee replied and smiled her sweet smile at him, making him blush yet again.

'How could I be this dense?' Miss Hinacogee asked herself. 'He blushes red every single time I smile at him. I can't believe I didn't notice this before.'

'She keeps trying to take me down with that smile of hers,' Tetsuya thought. 'It's like magic how it makes me feel like looking away from her. How is she doing that?' Tetsuya's eyes glared once more at Miss Hinacogee.

Another few minutes and they were still standing there. "Getting bored yet?" Miss Hinacogee asked.

"Not one bit," Tetsuya replied with a smirk. "You?"

"I could never get bored here," Miss Hinacogee answered and thought, 'I mean, Tetsuya's face is so-well-tough looking, but in a cute way. How could I be bored looking at him?'

"If neither of you moves soon, then we'll be waiting for you all day," Mr. Huffer said which made Miss Hinacogee jump, so Tetsuya was the first to hit Miss Hinacogee in the hand.

Miss Hinacogee winced, but then blocked the next attack and for the next one, she swung her stick around in a circle and then pointed it straight at Tetsuya. She ducked when he swung at her and then took the stick and threw him down to the ground, but he wasn't done yet.

Tetsuya jumped back up and used his stick to kick up and hit Miss Hinacogee in the stomach, but she blocked it with her stick and pushed him backwards and he just spun around in the air and landing perfectly on his feet.

''I didn't expect to last this long,'' Miss Hinacogee and Tetsuya thought at the same time.

Then, Tetsuya jumped up in the air and was going to slash Miss Hinacogee with his stick. 'Blocking it would just break my stick, but I have a better idea,' Miss Hinacogee thought quickly. She smiled before waiting until the exact moment and then did a perfect back flip in the air and her foot hit Tetsuya's stick right on the money and it slipped out of his hands and over his head. He landed on his knees on the floor, while Miss Hinacogee landed on her knees right in front of him.

All of a sudden, cheering was heard throughout the gym. They both got up and turned towards the class. Mr. Huffer was smirking while he clapped and when the cheering died down, he said, "As you can see, combining moves from other sports can win the fight for you, like Miss Hinacogee using a back flip to get out of a tough situation and win the fight."

The bell rang and Mr. Huffer yelled, "Class dismissed!" and everyone left the gym except for Mr. Huffer, Miss Hinacogee, and Tetsuya.

Tetsuya glared at Miss Hinacogee. "How did you do that?" he asked.

"I've been a cheerleader since I was five and I've been practicing martial arts for 6 years," Miss Hinacogee explained. "I can easily think on my feet."

"But you knew the exact moment you had to jump," Tetsuya replied. "One second too late and you would've gotten hurt, one second too early and you wouldn't have dodged the attack. Why take the risk?"

"That's what life will do to you when you've been through everything I have," Miss Hinacogee answered. "Taking risks is just a part of life and I've been hurt more in the past six years than I will ever be hurt in the future, so I just go with it and hope I get it right."

Tetsuya stubbornly narrowed his eyes. "I've trained my whole life in the martial arts and you've only trained 6 years, how can you beat me?" Tetsuya asked.

"You have to have the right teacher," Mr. Huffer replied before Miss Hinacogee could and then added, "I've trained martial arts for my entire life as well, but I still have a lot to learn and sometimes, the student can become the teacher, so Miss Hinacogee has taught me a few things as well."

Seemingly satisfied, Tetsuya walked out of the gym with his stubborn attitude showing. He couldn't believe that a girl beat him.

The older Izumi sighed and then held her left hand with her right. "You're really strong, you know that?" Izumi asked the older Tetsuya.

"Yea, why?" Tetsuya asked and then Izumi held out her left hand. On it was a big red mark from the stick Tetsuya hit her with.

Suddenly, Tetsuya picked Izumi up in his arms and said, "Well, we'll just have to fix that, won't we." Izumi laughed.

"You didn't have to pick me up, you know, I can walk," Izumi replied, putting her arms around his neck.

"I know, but this is more fun," Tetsuya replied with a smile. Izumi just couldn't help but smile back.

**Younger Version of Izumi...**

"Hey, Tomoyo," Izumi asked when they were walking home from school that afternoon. Izumi had this concentrated look on her face like she was trying to figure something out. "How did Li get beaten today in class? I mean, I thought he was the greatest." Izumi closed her eyes and smiled.

Tomoyo saw the smile and smiled knowingly. "No one can be perfect, Izumi-chan, not even Li," Tomoyo answered.

Izumi sighed and then looked down at the ground. "I just can't figure it out, Tomoyo, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what my own head is telling me," Izumi explained sadly.

"Maybe your head isn't telling you anything," Tomoyo replied. "Maybe your heart is telling you something." Izumi shot a confused glance at Tomoyo and then they had to go their separate ways to their own houses. "See you in school tomorrow!"

"Ja ne!" Izumi yelled and started walking toward her house. 'What is Tomoyo talking about?' Izumi asked herself. 'She knows something I don't know, doesn't she? Oh, I don't know.' She sighed in spite of the fact that she was only thinking it. "Tomoyo will always be Tomoyo," Izumi whispered to herself and smiled.

She reached her house soon after and went straight up to her room. "Kero!" She yelled soft enough for only him to hear.

"What?" a little voice said from the second drawer down on her desk.

"Did you figure out what card that was last night?" Izumi asked and sat down on her bed.

Kero rubbed his eyes and then answered, "Yep, it's Return."

"Return?" Izumi asked and then scenes from her blast into the future pooped into her mind. "That's the card I used to get back here from the future when Time sent me there."

"Return is a very powerful card, Izumi, even before it got sealed the first time," Kero explained. "It has the power to make the dead seem alive, but they will never be alive. There's no card that could bring the dead back to life."

"That's what happened last night!" Izumi almost shouted. "Return brought back these zombies and there were two people there fighting them when Li and I got-"

"Two other people?" Kero asked suddenly, interrupting Izumi. "What did they look like?"

"They had masks and weird outfits on, so I didn't see who they were," Izumi answered sadly and then remembered something, "but Tomoyo got them on tape!"

Kero flew up to Izumi. "Well, ask her for the tape!" he almost shouted. "We have to figure out who those two are and why they're after the Clow Cards."

Izumi pulled out her phone and dialed Tomoyo's phone number. "Hello?" Tomoyo's voice answered on the other end of the phone.

"Tomoyo-chan, that card was the Return Card and Kero and I need that tape to figure out who those people are," Izumi said quickly. "Can you come over?"

"I'll ask Okaa-san, hold on," Tomoyo said on the other line and then silence. A few minutes later, Tomoyo answered, "She said I'm allowed to come over just as long as I'm not out too late."

"Great!" Izumi shouted. "Ja."

"Ja, Izumi-chan," Tomoyo replied and hung up the phone.

"I'm hungry, Izumi-chan," Kero said suddenly.

Izumi sweatdropped. "Jonouchi isn't home right now, so you can go get something yourself, Kero," Izumi answered and Kero flew down the stairs in an instant.

Izumi sighed and then, bored, she got out her laptop and signed onto her screen name. Her friend, Mika instantly IMed.

Hey Izumi-chan! Mika typed to Izumi.

Hi Mika, how are you and Ron doing? Izumi replied.

We went on our first date the other night and it was spectacular!

I'm happy for you!

You don't seem all that happy.

Well, Li and I got into a fight and now we're not speaking to each other.

Li?

Tetsuya-san or Karatekid.

Oh. Wait, you got into a fight!?

Yes, don't sound so surprised. It was bound to happen. I mean, we're like a dog and a cat, complete opposites.

That is so not true. You guys can't possibly be that different, can you?

Yes. We are most definitely different.

Anyway, you know Kei?

Yea, what about him?

He got this whole big plan to visit you in Tomoeda and to make Karatekid and Kawaiiluver suffer for yelling at him.

He's crazy, I tell you.

Yea, but if he does come, please be careful, Izumi-chan.

Don't worry, Mika-chan, I'll be fine. Sorry, but the doorbell just rang, Tomoyo must be here. Ja Mika!

Ja Izumi-chan!

Izumi read the last message and then logged off and put her laptop away. She ran downstairs and opened the door to see a smiling Tomoyo standing there.

"Izumi-chan, I brought the tape like you asked," Tomoyo said and held up a tape. Kero came flying over and grabbed the tape.

"Now, let's see who these two are," Kero said and popped the tape into the living room VCR. Tomoyo and Izumi ran over and sat in front of it while Kero sat on Izumi's head.

The tape opened up to two people flying above the camera on what looked like Izumi's wand. "I couldn't hear what they were saying, because they were so far away, but I taped it anyway," Tomoyo explained excitedly.

They were the two people fighting the Return Card. Soon, they landed in Penguin Park and the camera (aka Tomoyo) went into the trees so she wouldn't be seen.

Suddenly, the wind started up and Return appeared in front of the two people. The boy tried to attack it, but suddenly ended up back where he started.

Then, the clock glowed and zombies started popping up.

"_SWORD!"_ the girl yelled.

"Stop the tape right there!" Kero yelled and Tomoyo abruptly stopped it.

"What did you do that for? It was just about to get to the best part!" Tomoyo replied and glared at Kero.

Kero flew over to the screen and pointed to the girl's wand. "That's Izumi's wand," Kero pointed out.

"No, it's not, Kero!" Izumi and Tomoyo both said at the same time.

"I had mine at that point because that's when I came," Izumi finished.

"It sure looks like it," Kero replied, "and what about that card?" He pointed to the card that the girl had just thrown up into the air. "It's a Clow Card."

"But I had all my Clow Cards, I had just looked at them beforehand," Izumi replied. "That couldn't be a Clow Card."

Kero groaned and then Izumi suddenly got an idea. "I'll fix us some drinks, okay?" Izumi said and ran into the kitchen.

Tomoyo sighed and then, grabbed Kero. "Kero, those two people are Izumi and Li," Tomoyo whispered. "Return made them come back here from their time. I figured it out and told them I knew and they told me not to tell Izumi or Li about it or the space time continuum would be ruined."

Kero widened his eyes. "Those two are Izumi and that gaki!" Kero almost yelled and Tomoyo covered his mouth quickly.

"Shhh!" Tomoyo whispered as Izumi walked back into the room, carrying a tray of juice.

"All we had was orange juice," Izumi said as she set the tray down on the table. "Did you figure out any clues to who they might be, Kero?"

Kero looked straight at Izumi's smiling face and said, "We haven't found anything." He turned back towards the screen. "In fact," he continued, pressing the stop button on the tape and ejecting it, "I don't think anything on this tape will help us." He got the tape and gave it to Tomoyo.

"You sure, Kero?" Izumi asked.

"Yes," Kero answered, picking up his orange juice glass. He drank it in one gulp and then sighed happily. Tomoyo sighed, thankful that Kero didn't tell Izumi. Izumi was just confused.

'Kero had wanted that tape so badly before, but now, he just gives up?' Izumi asked herself. 'It doesn't make sense.'

"Well, Izumi-chan," Tomoyo stated and stood up, "I think I should be going now."

Izumi stood up as well. "Right," Izumi replied. "Maybe we can get together tomorrow or something since there's no school."

"That would be great!" Tomoyo replied, her eyes shining. "You can try on some new outfits I made!" Izumi sweatdropped.

"Hey Tomoyo," Kero stated. "I was wondering if I could stay at your house for tonight, seeing how I need to look at that tape some more and you won't let Izumi have it overnight..." He trailed off into his own world.

"If it's okay with Izumi," Tomoyo replied and turned towards Izumi.

"It's fine with me," Izumi said with a smile, but inside, she was thinking that Kero was hiding something. 'Kero is acting odd. First he wants the tape, then he doesn't, then he does again,' Izumi thought to herself as she watched Tomoyo leave with Kero sitting on her shoulder.

"Ja, Izumi-chan!" Tomoyo yelled, running down the sidewalk. Izumi waved, but didn't say anything. She had a lot on her mind.

When Tomoyo and Kero reached the corner, Tomoyo stopped running. "I think I know how we can find out where Izumi-san and Li-san live, but it's going to be risky," Tomoyo stated to Kero. "You in?"

"I wouldn't have come if I wasn't in," Kero replied with a groan. "I still can't believe those two are Izumi and the gaki."

Tomoyo laughed and headed towards Tetsuya's house, hoping that he had enough sense to figure out where the older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya lived.

**Older Versions of Izumi and Tetsuya...**

"Guess what's on tonight, Izumi?" Tetsuya asked her. Izumi had just come out of her bedroom and she had a bandage on her hand and a smile on her face. Tetsuya was seeing what was on the television and sitting on the couch.

"What?" Izumi asked, sitting beside him.

Tetsuya had his head pointed towards the ground and Izumi couldn't see his eyes. "Tetsuya?" Izumi asked, concerned.

Once she put a hand on his shoulder, the doorbell rang and she jumped up off the couch, which made Tetsuya laugh so hard. "That's not funny!" Izumi screamed, blushing horribly. "I can't believe you would get someone to ring the doorbell just to scare me."

Izumi walked towards the door, but Tetsuya replied, "I didn't tell anyone to ring the doorbell, that was just a random thing that happened at the right moment. I have to say, whoever did it must have magical energy in them." Izumi stopped abruptly. "What's wrong?" Tetsuya asked, concerned.

"Magical energy," Izumi stated and turned towards him. "You don't think it's you or me, do you?"

Tetsuya stood up and walked to the door before replying, "It couldn't possibly be. How could they find out where we lived?"

The doorbell rang again and Tetsuya pressed the intercom, asking who it was.

"Tetsuya Li," a voice answered on the other line.

Izumi put a hand to her mouth. "He can't come here!" Izumi almost shouted. "He'll see the pictures!" Then, Izumi raced around the apartment, putting every picture of her and Tetsuya into a box.

"Izumi, calm down," Tetsuya replied, sweatdropping at how panicky she was.

"We have to hide everything that could make him think that you're him and I'm Izumi," Izumi replied sharply and took the last picture down. "Now." Izumi put the box under the sink for safe-keeping and sighed with relief. "There, you can let him in."

"Is anybody there!?" the younger Tetsuya asked on the other line of the intercom.

"You can come up," the older Tetsuya stated into the intercom and then they heard footsteps run up the stairs.

Izumi was breathing hard from running around and was sitting on the kitchen floor still after she had hid the pictures. Tetsuya rolled his eyes at her. "He's going to think you're weird if you don't get up off the floor," he stated and then a knock came on the door.

"I don't care, as long as everything in this apartment is Izumi and Tetsuya free," Izumi stated and then tried to slow her breathing.

"If you say so," Tetsuya replied and opened the door. The younger Tetsuya was standing there with an angry look on his face. "What are you doing here, Mr. Li?"

'Don't be mean, Tetsuya!' Izumi shouted in her head.

"I'm here because I have to talk to Miss Hinacogee," the younger Tetsuya replied and Izumi held her breath for Tetsuya's reply.

"Miss Hinacogee doesn't live here," the older Tetsuya replied and Izumi let out her berath.

"Yes she does," the younger Tetsuya answered. "I looked it up in the filing cabinet in the office of all the teachers."

"So you're confessing that you went into the teachers' secret files?" the older Tetsuya asked.

The younger Tetsuya got really angry and glared at the older Tetsuya. Izumi crawled along the kitchen floor and then went into Tetsuya's room, since it was the only one that was off the kitchen and the door was open.

Then, the doorbell rang again. The older Tetsuya pressed the intercom and asked who it was yet again.

"Tomoyo," a voice answered on the other line of the intercom.

''Tomoyo!'' the older Tetsuya and Izumi screamed in their heads.

Then, Izumi walked out of Tetsuya's room as if she hadn't been listening in on their conversation and smiled when she saw the little Tetsuya. "Hello and why are you here?" she asked sweetly.

The younger Tetsuya blushed at Izumi's smile and looked down at the floor. Izumi took the chance and mouthed to Tetsuya to tell Tomoyo that Tetsuya was here.

"I want you to teach me," the younger Tetsuya replied, his blush getting redder.

The older Tetsuya pressed the intercom button and said, "Mr. Li is here also, Miss Daidouji, so you may come up."

"Teach you?" Izumi asked the young Tetsuya. "But don't I teach you in class?" She blinked, really confused and a bit frustrated, but in a cute way, not an angry way.

Then, they heard footsteps up the stairs and Tomoyo popped up behind the young Tetsuya. "How did you get our address, Miss Daidouji?" the older Tetsuya asked when he saw Tomoyo. The young Tetsuya turned around and faced Tomoyo who had a huge smile on her face.

"I went to Li's house and the folder of you both was on his desk and the door was open, so I got it," Tomoyo answered.

Izumi smiled the widest smile she could muster. "Well, come on in, everybody!" she stated happily and lead Tomoyo and Tetsuya to the couch.

Tomoyo looked around. "Why aren't there any pictures of either of you around the apartment?" Tomoyo asked suspiciously, trying to get Tetsuya to notice something.

"Oh, we just got here a few days ago and haven't had a chance to unpack yet," the older Tetsuya answered when he saw Izumi's frightened face. Izumi sighed with relief and then turned to the younger Tetsuya.

"What did you mean before?" Izumi asked him. "I mean, Te-Mr. Huffer and I teach karate in class."

"I want you to teach me your moves," Tetsuya answered, more serious now that Tomoyo was here and he was trying to hide his redness.

The older Tetsuya widened his eyes and Tomoyo almost laughed, but caught herself before she could. Izumi glanced at the older Tetsuya for just a second before answering, "I don't think I could."

"But, it's like extra help, and a teacher can't turn down someone who needs help," the younger Tetsuya replied, knowing that he had gotten his way.

Izumi sighed. "I guess you're right," Izumi answered and looked down at the ground in worry. "We can start on Monday."

The younger Tetsuya smirked. 'I am so going to show Izumi up next time I see her,' Tetsuya replied and then got up. "I have to get back home since, as Tomoyo pointed out, my door was open," he stated and then walked out the door and closed it behind him.

Tomoyo burst out laughing the second he was gone. "I c-can't believe th-that he didn't figure it out y-yet!" she said between laughs.

"Is something wrong, Tomoyo?" Izumi asked, shooting a worried glance at her. "Did something happen to me, well, Izumi?"

Tomoyo suddenly stopped laughing. "No, of course not," Tomoyo replied.

"That's good," Izumi answered and sighed again. "Why are you here then, Tomoyo?"

"Oh!" Tomoyo just remembered. "Right!" She unzipped her backpack and Kero came flying out of it. "Kero was going to figure it out and tell Izumi, but I stopped him and told him not to tell her."

Kero just stayed where he was in the room and glared at Tetsuya while Tetsuya glared back. "Gaki," Kero stated under his breath and glared harder.

"Stuffed animal," Tetsuya stated under his breath and glared harder.

""What did you say!?!?"" Tetsuya and Kero both yelled at each other and glared even harder than ever.

Tomoyo and Izumi sweatdropped. "Kero," Izumi said and shook her head. "Well, I can't blame you for noticing the signs that definitely show it was me."

"You mean, you aren't going to yell at Tomoyo for telling Kero or at Kero for finding out!?!?" Tetsuya yelled.

"No, should I?" Izumi asked him with a glare.

"Yes," Tetsuya replied without yelling. "At least give the fuzz ball a stern talking to."

"Don't you call me that, gaki!" Kero yelled at Tetsuya and glared at him while Tetsuya just glared back.

"Kero!" Izumi yelled, standing up, and then Kero stopped and floated down on Tomoyo's head.

Izumi sat down on the couch as well and Tetsuya stood behind the couch, leaning against it.

Tomoyo giggled. "I just remembered what you said the other day," Tomoyo stated randomly. "Not really you, but Izumi."

"What did I say?" Izumi asked, confused.

"You called Tetsuya a 'sexy baka' and then hit yourself for it," Tomoyo replied and Izumi laughed.

"I remember that," Izumi said. "It was when you and Meiling-chan were sleeping over and I had just come from skating with Tetsuya that day and my clothes were all muddy after falling in the mud."

"But you dragged me with you," Tetsuya added. "Did you ever yell at Izumi for ruining your outfit?"

"No, I could never yell at her when just the fact that it got ruined is because you and Izumi were spending time together," Tomoyo answered, her eyes shining. Izumi and Tetsuya sweatdropped.

Kero had fallen asleep on Tomoyo's backpack and was sleeping peacefully.

Then, Tomoyo took out a digital camera from her back pocket and asked, "Do you think I could have some pictures of you guys together?"

""Pictures?"" Izumi and Tetsuya both asked at the same time.

"Yes, I already have poses I want you to be in!" Tomoyo explained and the got out rough sketches of two figures.

Izumi and Tetsuya sweatdropped. "If you want them that badly, Tomoyo-chan," Izumi said and Tomoyo jumped up from her seat.

"Stay there, Tetsuya," Tomoyo said before Tetsuya could move. "I want you right there."

"Okay," Tetsuya replied and stayed where he was, leaning on the couch.

"Izumi, what do you think of this pose?" Tomoyo asked, showing Izumi one of her rough sketches.

Izumi smirked. "I like it, Tomoyo," Izumi answered and then went around to the front of the couch.

"Tetsuya, just look at the camera," Tomoyo said and Tetsuya, confused, turned towards Tomoyo.

Suddenly, Izumi jumped on Tetsuya's back and Tomoyo got a flash just before they both went crashing down to the floor. Izumi and Tomoyo were both laughing their heads off while Tetsuya was angry at first, but then started laughing in spite of the pain he was in.

* * *

(A/n: Sorry for the weird ending, but I just think Tomoyo would want a picture of them because she's just Tomoyo. Well, read and review!) 


	12. A Weird Turn Of Events & A Strange Dream

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**A Weird Turn Of Events & A Strange Dream**

"It's so lonely without Kero around," Izumi said quietly to herself. She was laying on her bed being bored because Kero had just left with Tomoyo. "I wish I had something to do." She sighed and then looked around her room.

There was nothing at all she could think of to do, except for go on the computer, so she decided she would. She also signed onto the internet.

Suddenly, Ron IMed her.

/Haven't talked to you in a while, Izumi,/ Ron typed to Izumi.

/Yeah, seems like forever./

/So, how have you been?/

/Pretty good, but now I'm really bored./

/Too bad. I just came back from a date with Mika./

/Really? How did it go?/

/It was fun, at least, I hope it was./

/Why do you hope it was?/

/Because I took Mika to this new amusement park and I think she was going to kill me when I took her on the roller coaster./

Izumi laughed. Mika was pretty afraid of heights. /She made me go on the merry go round with her afterwards,/ Ron typed.

Izumi laughed again. Ron and Mika had to be the weirdest couple in the world. /Well, she doesn't like heights./

/I wouldn't say that. Since she's the new captain of the cheerleading squad here, she is always on the top of the pyramid./

/She's the new captain!? I'm so happy for her!/

/Well, the squad just made it to the Championships this year./

/Really?! Our squad did too! Maybe I'll see you guys there! It's next weekend, right?/

/Yeah, Mika has been talking about it for weeks./

Izumi giggled. Mika always was one for competition. Izumi was just about to respond when a shock hit her. 'A Clow Card!' Izumi thought and logged off really quickly. She dialed Tomoyo's number and then waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" Tomoyo asked on the other end, almost bursting out laughing.

"What's so funny, Tomoyo?" Izumi asked her.

"Oh, Izumi," Tomoyo responded. "The phone woke Kero up from his sleep."

"I don't think it was the phone," Izumi replied. "It's a Clow Card."

"Oh," Tomoyo replied, but Izumi thought that she didn't seem all that surprised. "I'll be right there."

Then, she hung up the phone.

**Tomoyo, Kero, & Older Versions of I&T...**

"Is it Return?" Tomoyo asked Izumi and Tetsuya while gathering her things together.

Izumi shook her head. "It's definitely not strong enough to be," Izumi replied. "I remember that a Clow Card came today, but I can't remember what card it was." Izumi tried racking her brain, but still couldn't remember.

"How could you forget?!" Tetsuya almost yelled at Izumi. "I mean, it was the stupidest card in the world! Why do they even make a card like that?" Tetsuya crossed his arms and then Izumi smiled.

"Now I remember," Izumi said and her smile widened.

"What card is it?" Tomoyo asked. Kero was on her head and she was just about to leave.

"You'll see, now go before Izumi gets impatient," Izumi replied and shooed them out the door.

"I hate that card," Tetsuya said again.

"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Izumi asked sincerely.

"Oh no, it was way worse," Tetsuya answered. "Being stuck in that stuffed animal's body was no party."

(A/n: Do you know what card I'm talking about? If you don't, I suggest you read on. If you do, shhhhhhh! Don't tell the people who don't know. Let them find out for themselves.)

**Tomoyo, Kero, & Izumi...**

"Tomoyo, I look like a mouse," Izumi stated, looking herself over in the mirror.

"That's the whole point, Izumi-chan!" Tomoyo replied, filming her friend in her new costume. As Izumi said, she looked like a mouse. She had a headband with little mouse ears on it and a mask over her eyes and nose, but not covering her eyes that made her look like a mouse with the nose and all. She also wore two pointy gray shoes and a cute overdress that was gray with a tail in the back with a red ball at the end of it. She also wore an undershirt that was white and had puffy sleeves.

Izumi sweatdropped and then snapped out of it and called, _"FLY!"_ Her staff grew wings and she hopped on with Tomoyo right behind her and Kero on Tomoyo's shoulder.

"What if Li didn't feel the Clow Card?" Izumi asked while flying towards Penguin Park.

"I thought you didn't care about him," Tomoyo stated with a smile.

Izumi got red. "Well, I never said that I didn't care about him," Izumi retorted, but then realized what she just said.

Tomoyo giggled and then said, "If only Meiling were here."

When they arrived at Penguin Park, Tetsuya was already there, fighting the Clow Card. "Do you know what card that is, Kero?" Izumi asked him just before they landed. Izumi got off her wand and its wings disappeared.

The Clow Card looked like a small girl from far away, but up close you could see that the card's eyes were huge and blue and her mouth was small, but that made her look cute. She had big puffy pink hair that was tied on the top of her head and then flowed down behind her. It had a cute pink outfit on and small hands that were waving around, making pink shields appear while dodging Tetsuya's attacks.

(A/n: Okay, I'm going to say this right now. I KNOW this isnt how the Change Card is supposed to look, but who said it had to look right? ;; When I wrote the story, I had no idea what it looked like. So I made it up! Now I know...but I can't go back and change it or everything will be messed up. Sorry.)

"There's no way to tell Izumi," Kero replied. "It could be Shield because of the shields, but some other cards can produce small shields." Kero watched the card carefully, but nothing happened that could make it be any certain card.

"That's just great," Izumi replied and sighed. Then she got out a card and yelled, "Sword!"

Izumi stepped up closer to Tetsuya which made him turn around, sensing her aura. The Clow Card had jumped back away from Tetsuya when he wasn't looking and was smiling. "What are you doing here?" Tetsuya asked with a glare. He was leaning on his sword for support because he was tired out.

"The Clow Card, of course," Izumi replied, glaring back.

All of a sudden, the Clow Card giggled, which made everyone's attention turn to it. Then, a purple aura blasted everyone off their feet, knocking them all unconscious.

**The Older Versions of I&T...**

"Something bad is going to happen, Tetsuya, I just know it," Izumi said, laying on the couch looking up at the ceiling.

"What could happen?" Tetsuya asked.

Izumi closed her eyes and for the second time that night, she tried to sense little Tetsuya's aura. When she sensed it, she sighed, but all of a sudden, it was gone.

Izumi's eyes snapped open and she sprang up from the couch. "Your aura is gone," Izumi said with worry in her voice.

"Don't you remember we covered our auras so Izumi and Tetsuya couldn't feel them," Tetsuya replied. He was putting up all the pictures that Izumi had taken down.

"No, not you, little Tetsuya," Izumi replied and Tetsuya looked over his shoulder at her. Izumi looked at the ground with worry all over her face. "At first I sensed it, but now it's gone."

Tetsuya sighed. "It's probably when I got switched with Kero," Tetsuya answered lightly. Izumi walked over to him and got her puppy dog look on her face.

Tetsuya tried to ignore it, but finally, he gave in.

"Fine, we'll go get them, but we're not wearing our costumes," Tetsuya replied. "We'll bring him back here if he's hurt. And no Clow Cards. We can't have Tetsuya or Izumi figuring it out."

Izumi nodded and then they ran outside of the apartment and Izumi pointed in the direction of Penguin Park. "That's where I last sensed it."

"Then, let's go," Tetsuya replied with just a tint of worry in his voice.

**About 5 Minutes Later...**

'Almost there,' Izumi thought as they came to the entrance of Penguin Park.

When they walked inside, Izumi gasped. All four of them (Izumi, Tetsuya, Kero, and Tomoyo) were unconscious. "We have to take them back to our apartment."

"But what about Kero?" Tetsuya asked her. "We can't just leave him here and we can't explain how we knew he was real and not just a stuffed animal."

"That's it!" Izumi replied. "We'll say we thought it was a stuffed animal and took it with us!"

Tetsuya sweatdropped. "Even I could've thought of that," he replied. "But how can we carry them all?"

"Tetsuya, there's no other way but the Clow Cards," Izumi replied. "I'll have to use the Move Card to make them move to our apartment. Anyone who sees them will just think they're walking."

Tetsuya thought about it and agreed, reluctantly. "Move!" Izumi shouted and commanded Move to move the three kids to walk and she picked up Kero and they were on their way back to the apartment.

**About 10 Minutes Later (it took longer walking w/ the kids)...**

"We'll have to set them on the floor," Izumi said once they got there and set Izumi, Tetsuya, Tomoyo, and Kero down on the floor in the kitchen. "Was this the doing of a different card?"

"I don't know," Tetsuya answered. Izumi was sitting on the floor beside the kids while Tetsuya was sitting against the counter on the floor. "I don't know how it could've been different, but only Kero and I got hit with the blast from Change, not you and Tomoyo."

"Do you think that it was a different card, then?" Izumi asked, concerned for the kids and Kero.

"No, another card would've finished them off," Tetsuya replied, thinking about it. "Something must've happened that was different from when we faced it. Something had changed."

Izumi, then, realized it. "Kero!" she said, stunned. "When I brought Kero along, he had no idea that you and I should be together, so he started to make remarks to you. But this time, he must've realized that nothing he did could change the fact that we would be together and he didn't make any remarks. Also, Tetsuya was on the way back to his apartment tonight when he must've felt the Clow Card and he must've got there sooner than Izumi did. He might've been fighting it when I got there with Tomoyo and Kero and I made the remarks. Change just wanted to have some fun with us, but thought it would be funny to do it to us all since we were close enough."

"Right, Tomoyo and Kero must've been closer than you and Tomoyo, so they got caught in the blast because Change can only hit targets so far away," Tetsuya continued. "But who's who?"

Suddenly, the three kids stirred. Tomoyo, Tetsuya, and Izumi all sat up (at least their bodies sat up.) "What happened?" the person who was in Tetsuya asked.

"We found you in Penguin Park and brought you back here, Mr. Li," the older Tetsuya answered.

"Mr. Li?" the person in Tetsuya asked and then turned to the left and widened her eyes.

The little Izumi couldn't believe it. She was staring at herself, but it wasn't herself, she was herself, but then, who was this person?

"Are you okay, Li-san?" the person in Izumi asked. Then she was about to address the person behind her as Izumi, but it wasn't because it was her body. Tomoyo widened her eyes and stared at the Tomoyo before her.

Then, Izumi (in Tetsuya) saw Tomoyo acting really strangely, just sitting there, pretending to be a stuffed animal? A stuffed animal!

"Could we have some time to talk alone?" Izumi (in Tetsuya) asked.

"Sure," the older Izumi answered and Izumi and Tetsuya left to Tetsuya's bedroom (closest to the kitchen) and closed the door, but were still listening from the crack at the bottom.

Tomoyo (in Izumi) talked first, "What happened? Why am I two people?" She pointed toward herself and the other Tomoyo.

"Tomoyo?" Izumi (in Tetsuya) asked, unbelievingly. Tomoyo looked at her strangely and nodded. "It's Izumi."

"Izumi?!" Tomoyo asked. "You're in Tetsuya's body!?"

"I'm what!?" Izumi asked and then looked at her outfit. It was Tetsuya's. Izumi got red and then replied, "You're in my body."

Tomoyo looked at herself and saw that Izumi was right. Then, the other Tomoyo spoke. "Is it okay to move yet?"

"Huh?" Izumi asked. "Wait, Kero!?"

Kero (in Tomoyo) looked at her and raised an eyebrow. He hadn't been listening to their conversation at all.

"I'm Izumi," Izumi replied. "We must've switched bodies or something. You're in Tomoyo's body."

"Of course!" Kero replied. "That Clow Card was Change! It has the ability to switch people's minds with another."

"Well, if I'm Izumi, Kero's me, and Izumi is Tetsuya, then Li must be Kero, right?" Tomoyo asked.

As if on response, Kero's body stirred and it sat up. "What happened?" it asked and then right when it turned its head, it got really angry and flew over to Izumi, staring her right in the face. "What are you trying to do, making a clone of me!?"

Tomoyo grabbed Tetsuya and then said, "Li, Izumi didn't make a clone of you, Change all switched our minds up. I'm Izumi, you're Kero, Izumi is you, and Kero is me."

Tetsuya calmed down after that, but then Izumi said, "We're at Miss Hinacogee's or Mr. Huffer's, I think, since they were the ones who found us."

"Yeah, but we can't lead them onto anything," Tomoyo said and then let Tetsuya go. "So, you have to be a stuffed animal."

"Fine, but we'll go back to my place so we can figure out what we're going to do about this," Tetsuya agreed and Izumi opened her bag and he stopped. "You are not carrying that, are you?"

Izumi blinked and then gave it to Tomoyo before Tetsuya got in. Then, Tomoyo yelled, "We're sorry for ruining your evening, but we have to leave now!"

The older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya came out of Tetsuya's room where they had been listening and Izumi asked, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"""Fine!""" They all said in unison and then headed towards the door.

When they left, Izumi burst out laughing. "Even w-when we all sw-witch bodies, you st-till end up b-being Kero," she said between laughs.

Tetsuya glared at her and then sat on the couch and sighed. "I just think this will be worse than before. You being me, Tomoyo being you, Kero being Tomoyo. It'll be difficult to live up to my standards," he said when Izumi had stopped laughing. She sighed as well and sat down, which surprised Tetsuya.

"Being you won't be just difficult for her, it'll make her like you even more," Izumi replied.

"How so?" Tetsuya asked, confused.

"If I was you for just one day, I'd be looking in the mirror countless times just to be able to stare at you without you noticing," Izumi replied. "And now that she will have the experience to live as you, it will make her like everything you do, including your room and everything." Izumi sighed. "I just think it'll be the most difficult for her, being in the body of her crush."

Tetsuya nodded in understanding. It would be the hardest for Izumi.

**The younger versions of I&T, Tomoyo, and Kero...**

Upon reaching Tetsuya's house, Tomoyo opened Izumi's bag and Tetsuya flew out of it. Kero sat on the couch and sighed. Izumi sat on the couch also and thought about what effect this would have. "So, what are we going to do?" Tetsuya asked them when Tomoyo had sat on the couch.

"We'll just have to live life normally as each other," Izumi stated. "We can't change back without The Change Card and I've tried sensing it, but it's gone."

"I might have a locating spell on my compass board I can use, but we'd have to have someone do it with a lot of magic and I don't know if the magic is in Daidouji now or if it stayed with you, Hinako," Tetsuya replied, thinking.

Izumi widened her eyes for a moment and then blinked again, trying to hide her surprise. 'What's wrong with me? Tetsuya and I are fighting and yet, I hate the fact that he called me Hinako...' Izumi thought for a second and then replied, "We'll have to try it to see if it works."

Tetsuya nodded and flew into his room to get his compass board. He grabbed it and gave it to Izumi. She took it and then asked, "What do I do?" Her voice was confident because she knew however longer she stayed in Tetsuya, she was bound to have the same feeling she just had about him.

Tetsuya showed her what to do and she did as he told her.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus all her thoughts on The Change Card, but it wasn't working. The fact that she was in Tetsuya's body was all she could think about. She tried harder and then threw the compass board out and a glowing compass board surrounded her. She pointed her finger up and held it in front of her face while the other was right below it in the same position. Then, she stopped.

'Come on, Izumi, just perform the spell already,' Tetsuya thought. Then he realized what he just thought. He had called Hinako, Izumi. 'Why did I just do that? Probably because I'm used to calling her that.' He shook the thought out of his head and then watched as Izumi fell backwards and the glowing compass board disappeared.

Tomoyo ran to her and asked, "Are you alright, Izumi-chan?"

"She's just fainted," Tetsuya replied. "She wasn't strong enough to handle the spell."

"She is strong enough," Tomoyo argued. "Something else must've been on her mind so she couldn't perform it."

"It would've had to be a great feeling to make her mind focus on that instead of on Change," Tetsuya replied.

"Why do you say that?" Tomoyo asked, confused.

"Even if her mind was focusing on Change with all her strength, if something from her heart was bugging her, then the spell wouldn't work because the heart is stronger than the mind. If the heart has a problem, the mind can't focus," Tetsuya explained.

Tomoyo looked down at Izumi and then saw her eyes open slightly. "What happened?" she asked, confused. She opened her eyes the whole way and sat up.

"You fainted in the middle of the spell," Kero answered.

"Yeah, is something bothering you, Izumi?" Tomoyo asked, wondering if what Tetsuya said was true.

Izumi felt her cheeks burn and asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Two reasons," Tomoyo replied. "One: Li said that might've been a reason why you couldn't perform the spell and two: you're blushing."

Izumi's cheeks burned even more and then she replied, "Um-well-I-" She couldn't admit that she was thinking about Tetsuya because he would hear it and then, everything would be a mess. Tetsuya picked up his compass board and then replied, "She just wasn't strong enough to perform it, Daidouji. I knew she couldn't be."

Izumi snapped her head up and then glared at Tetsuya. "I could so perform that spell! Something was just on my mind at the time!" Izumi yelled at Tetsuya. Then, she grabbed the compass board and threw it down on the floor again.

She did the same thing as last time except she didn't stop and yelled, "CLOW CARD! CHANGE!" The compass board glowed all around her and then in her mind, it showed where The Change Card was and what it was doing at the time. Then, the image disappeared and Izumi blinked a few times, really confused.

"Am I supposed to hate myself right now?" she asked suddenly and randomly.

Tomoyo looked at her strangely. "Hate yourself?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have this strong urge to hit myself across the head," Izumi answered.

"Strange," Kero announced and then examined Izumi for any physical changes.

Tetsuya then looked at her, confused. "That's exactly what I'm thinking right now."

Kero and Tomoyo shot their heads toward Tetsuya. "Izumi must've got into your thoughts when she performed the spell," Kero stated and then asked, "Do you remember what the spell showed you, Izumi?"

"It showed me Change, it was sitting down and that's all I can remember," Izumi replied.

"It's erasing your memories now!" Kero stated again.

"What!?" Tomoyo almost cried.

"Why is it doing that?" Tetsuya asked and then flew over to them and examined Izumi. "She doesn't look any different."

"She's turning into you," Kero stated. "With every passing moment, she forgets something else."

"So, I'm losing my memories and gaining Li's?" Izumi asked. "I don't feel like I'm forgetting anything."

"You probably won't," Kero answered. "I just can't believe this happened."

"What happens when everything she knew from her life disappears and she gains Li-san's memories?" Tomoyo asked with concern in her voice.

"She'll become him and her memories will be lost," Kero answered.

Tomoyo was shocked. She couldn't lose her best friend! "Is there any way to stop this from happening?" Tetsuya asked quickly.

"We have to get her back to her body and her memories will be back, but at the rate she's going, we'll have 10 days to do it," Kero replied. "She'll lose a year of her life every day."

"This is really weird," Izumi said suddenly. "My past is all messed up."

Tomoyo was really worried, but they couldn't do anything about Izumi now. "Kero and I will have to go back home," Tomoyo stated. "I'll have to go to Izumi's house and he'll have to go to mine." She got up and then looked straight at Tetsuya. "I'm counting on you, Li-san, to take care of Izumi-chan."

Tetsuya nodded and Izumi waved to both of them as they left. Tetsuya didn't know what to do about Izumi, so he just decided to let her sleep in his bed and he could sleep on a pillow or something since he was so small.

**Dreaming, Izumi...**

"It's this place again," Izumi said out loud. "I'm glad I didn't forget it yet." She was in a white room with no doors, windows, or walls. Everything was just white. "I love this place. It's where I can be with my mother and not have anything or anyone interrupt our talking." She closed her eyes and smiled to herself. Then, she opened them and realized that she was herself and not Tetsuya in this dream.

"Izumi," a voice stated.

"Mother!" Izumi shouted and then looked around, but couldn't see her. "Where are you?"

"I can't let you forget this."

"I know, this place is great!"

"No, this." All of a sudden, the scene had changed and it was a scene with her and Tetsuya when they first met. Then it flashed to when they were talking about The Ring. It went to Jump and then Power and then it just flashed to a scene she had never seen before.

It was a picture of herself with a thought bubble over her. It said, 'I won't let Dark control him anymore.' She was holding a Clow Card in her hand and she was angry. She had one of Tomoyo's outfits on also. Then, behind it was a picture of Tetsuya's face with his eyes darkened, looking like he was hypnotized.

"That looks like a comic book picture," Izumi said to her mother.

"I made it so you could see these future events that you can't forget," her mother replied.

Next, came a picture of her laying on the ground with a dark figure above her, but Tetsuya was standing, sword in hand, glaring at the shadow. The next picture showed him trying to slash it with his sword.

Then, was a picture of a sort of clown figure with a piece of white cloth (his outfit was checkered black and white) and he was just about to put the cloth over Tetsuya, on the ground, hurt. The next picture showed her yelling, "NO!" and standing in front of Tetsuya.

Then, the images stopped. "There are more images, but I do not have time to show you them all," her mother explained.

"But, what happens!?" Izumi asked in a yell. "Is Tetsuya all right in them all?! Why was he protecting me like that!? Answer my questions!" She didn't know it, but she was crying. She didn't want Tetsuya to get hurt because of her.

"What happens!!??" Izumi cried and then all of a sudden shot up out of her dream and she was back in Tetsuya's room.

* * *

(A/n: Alright. Here's the deal. A reviewer asked me to continue this story or at least, give it come sort of closure. And I figured, "WHY NOT!?" Since I always like to reread the story and it DOES make me smile. First full blown fanfiction that made it past 50 pages...then 100...now it's 149 pages. So I went into the document, looked around, then came on And realized, I had FOUR more chapters written but not uploaded. I have up to Chapter 14 DONE. gets yelled at and hit for not updating Heh, sorry. So, I'll put those up. And then continue. Please enjoy!!) 


	13. Change

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Change**

Tetsuya, being awoken by Izumi's yelling, flew over to her and asked angrily, "What was that for!?" He was glaring at her and she just blinked for a few seconds, confused and then, remembered the events from yesterday, but just barely.

"Tetsuya?" Izumi asked questioningly.

"It's Li to you," Tetsuya replied and flew back to his pillow on the floor. "I suppose we'll have to get ready for finding Change now."

Izumi nodded her head and yawned. 'This is just great,' Izumi thought. 'I know things that are going to happen in the future, but with all that happening, is it possible that it's wrong? Is it possible that I'll lose all my memories?'

Tetsuya was still pretty angry about the fact that Izumi was in his body and that she was taking all his memories, but he wasn't angry _at_ her.

Soon, the phone rang and Izumi answered it. "Hello?"

"It's Tomoyo, you ready to search for the card?" Tomoyo asked in Izumi's voice. Izumi thought she sounded really weird and wondered if her real voice sounded like that.

"Yep, but where are we going to search for it?" Izumi asked.

"Wherever we can," Tomoyo answered. "And you know, your brother is really annoying."

Izumi sweatdropped. "I'll see you in a few," Izumi replied and then hung up.

"Was that Daidouji?" Tetsuya asked.

"Yep," Izumi replied and headed out the door, Tetsuya on her shoulder so he wouldn't be suspicious flying around.

"Aren't you going to wait for that stupid stuffed animal to call?" Tetsuya asked her.

"Kero won't be able to figure out your number, so I'd say he'll just try to sense your aura," Izumi answered.

"Why not sense yours?" Tetsuya asked. "It's a lot stronger than mine."

"Mine's disappearing," Izumi replied in a whisper.

Tetsuya didn't say a word more because he thought that he'd make Izumi break down and cry or something which since she's in his body, it would seem like he did that. Now, he couldn't have that, could he?

Izumi and Tetsuya arrived at Penguin Park just as Tomoyo did. "I see you're still alive, Izumi-chan," Tomoyo announced and smiled.

"I don't think you should call me that, Tomoyo-chan," Izumi replied. "It would be better if you called me Li, now that I'm in his body."

"The spell is getting to you!" Tomoyo screamed and hugged Izumi really tightly.

Izumi sweatdropped. "Um-Tomoyo-chan, I was just suggesting it so people would stop staring at us," Izumi replied.

"It would be a good idea," Tetsuya piped in, making sure no one but the two of them could hear.

"Alright, Li-san," Tomoyo said, getting off of Izumi, "where do we begin?"

"I have no clue," Izumi answered and then sighed.

Tomoyo just got an idea. "I have an idea, but I have to do it alone, so just wait here for Kero and I'll be back soon!" Then, she sped off down the road.

Tetsuya and Izumi sweatdropped. "I swear she's crazier than you," Tetsuya stated and then Izumi nodded her head in agreement. "Jeez, something is wrong with you. You agreed with me about calling yourself crazy."

"Why shouldn't I?" Izumi backfired. "I am crazy."

Tetsuya sweatdropped. Izumi was turning into him, but calling herself everything so she wasn't him yet.

**Tomoyo...**

'I have to get there fast,' Tomoyo thought as she ran towards Izumi's and Tetsuya's apartment. When she arrived at her destination, she rang the doorbell and Tetsuya answered.

"What's wrong, Miss Hinako?" he asked, concerned.

"Izumi-is-pant-going-to-pant-lose-all her memories!" Tomoyo stated and then Tetsuya led her inside, realizing that she wasn't Izumi. Tomoyo rested on the couch until she got her breathing back.

Izumi had come into the living room and sat beside her. "What happened?" she asked.

Tomoyo explained what had happened last night after they left their house and Izumi and Tetsuya were shocked. "Can't you use your Change Card to turn her back?" Tomoyo pleaded.

"I can't, Tomoyo-san," Izumi replied. "If I use it on you all, then something really bad will happen. It could backfire and then, that would be worse. Only that Change Card will turn her back right."

"Can't you do anything to help?" Tomoyo asked desperately. "Like help us find Change or something."

"It's bad enough we changed the past this much," Izumi said. "We shouldn't try to change it anymore," she paused and then continued, "even if I would lose all my memories."

Izumi wasn't looking at Tomoyo, but Tomoyo could tell that she wanted to help. 'Why doesn't she!?' Tomoyo asked herself. 'Well, I won't let Izumi loose her memories!'

Tomoyo glared at Izumi with tears in her eyes. "Well, if you're not going to help, then I'm going to find Change myself!" With that, Tomoyo ran out the door and left Izumi to feel bad about it.

"We could do something to help, couldn't we?" Tetsuya asked in a serious tone of voice.

"If we do, then we could drastically change what's supposed to happen," Izumi answered sadly. "What if our help actually ruins the chances of Izumi getting her body back? We can't take that risk and don't you go try and help." Izumi stood up and went into her room.

Tetsuya thought about what Izumi said and he did agree with her at points, but why is it suddenly that her personality changed? Of course, Tetsuya knew he had to do something...

**Izumi, Tetsuya, & Kero...**

"Guys!" Tomoyo yelled to Izumi, Tetsuya, and Kero as she ran towards them.

When she arrived, Tetsuya asked, "What was that all about?"

"I tried to get some help, but it didn't work all too well," Tomoyo answered quickly. "So, where are we going to look first?"

"How could you get help?" Tetsuya asked, skeptical of her. "What are you up to, Daidouji?"

"Nothing," Tomoyo replied quickly. "Nothing at all!" She sweatdropped.

All of a sudden, they heard giggling. Tetsuya flew into Penguin Park and looked around. "Is it Change?" Tomoyo asked him quickly.

"It couldn't be," Kero answered right away. "We would've sensed it."

"It's probably just some little kid having fun," Izumi stated. "Just leave it alone."

"No, something is here," Tetsuya stated.

"I hope you're not referring to me as a little kid," a voice announced from above their heads. They all looked up and sitting on the top of a tree was a girl.

The girl was about 6 years old. She seemed short for her age and her hair showed it by being down past her hips. Of course, that's when it was tied back into two long braids. Her eyes were a piercing emerald green and the color of her hair was auburn. Her outfit was pink with a cute little pink hat and the shirt was a tank top with a split cape behind her with two hearts at the tips. The skort was short, but her boots made up for it by being over her knees. Her hat also had a heart on it. It sort of looked like an outfit Tomoyo would create.

The girl giggled again. "I like your stuffed animal," the girl stated and winked at Tetsuya.

He glared at her and asked, "Who the heck are you and what do you want?"

The girl did a front flip and landed on the ground in front of them. "I want to help," she stated directly to Tetsuya. "I want to help find what you're looking for."

"But who are you?" Tomoyo asked, a bit angry.

"Just call me an ally," the girl answered. "I may not look it, but I've got major moves." She winked again, but this time not at Tetsuya, just for the fun of it.

Tomoyo sweatdropped. "You're too tiny to do any real damage," Kero stated suddenly.

The girl stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not someone to be trifled with," the girl announced and then grabbed half of a key from her necklace. "I want to help you, but in return, you have to help me find who has the other half of this."

The key looked like a flower, cut in half of course. "It belongs to my other half," the girl stated.

"Other half?" Tetsuya asked.

"Yes, sadly, I don't even know who I am anymore," the girl replied. "My other half and I won't be whole again until we find each other. She probably doesn't even realize I'm gone. That's why I have to find her."

"How are we supposed to help you find her?" Tomoyo asked, confused.

"Actually, I don't know," the girl answered and everyone fell over anime style, "but when I heard you guys talking about something called Change, it rang a bell in my mind. So, I decided to ask for help and give it."

"What can you do for us?" Tetsuya asked the girl.

"I know where Change is hiding," the girl replied and everyone widened their eyes at her. "Change doesn't want to be found, so it keeps changing hiding places, but I think I can catch her if you guys help me."

"Why should we trust you?" Izumi piped in, angry that someone knew where Change was and she didn't. "How do we know you won't lead us into a trap?"

The girl looked astonished. She wasn't used to people not trusting her. "You can believe me or not, but what choice do you have?" the girl asked them.

Tetsuya looked skeptical about all this. "She does have a point," he whispered to the rest of the gang.

"Yes, but will she actually lead us to Change?" Tomoyo asked back in a whisper.

"We have to give her a chance," Kero stated. "We don't really have any other choice."

They all glanced at the girl who smiled sweetly at them. Izumi was glaring at the girl.

"Kero's right, we'll have to trust her," Tetsuya stated, "for now."

The turned back to the girl and Tetsuya said, "Fine, we'll help you, but first, you have to find Change."

The girl smiled and replied, "Change isn't staying in one place for very long." The girl closed her eyes and sensed the presence of Change, but only very faintly. "It's moving towards the school house."

She pointed straight at the school house and they all turned to look at it. "Okay," Tomoyo said. "Kero, you take Izumi back to Li's apartment. I don't want her to mess things up for Li. We have to catch Change."

Kero nodded and dragged Izumi back to Li's apartment because she was squirming in his grip.

"Let's go," Tetsuya said and they went toward the school house.

**The Older Tetsuya...**

Tetsuya knew that Izumi told him not to interfere with the catching of Change, but he had to do something. So, he got his outfit on and wondered how he could get the Clow Cards Izumi had. When he walked past her room, he noticed that she was sleeping. So, he walked inside and took the Clow Cards sitting beside her desk.

Now, he was running using Dash towards Penguin Park. He jumped on the park wall and noticed the gang standing, talking to a little girl. Then, he watched as the body of Tomoyo dragged the body of himself away while the other three went towards the school.

Then, he sensed it. "Change," he said to himself. "It's in the school." He knew that's where they were headed, but wondered how his smaller self had sensed it.

'I barely even sensed it,' Tetsuya thought to himself.

Then, he rushed over to the school and went in by one of the windows on the top floor. He could feel it and knew that it would be somewhere around here, but didn't know where. He, suddenly, heard footsteps. He went into one of the rooms and waited. Then, he heard voices.

"Now, where is it hiding?" a voice asked. That was definitely his own voice.

Tetsuya knew he shouldn't have, but he glanced around the corner and there were the two kids and the body of Kero. His little self was in the body of Kero and Tomoyo was in the body of Izumi, but the other little girl seemed familiar, but he couldn't place where he had seen her before.

'Wait!' Tetsuya told himself. 'I know where I've seen her before!'

He remembered placing pictures of Izumi and himself over the apartment yesterday and one of the pictures. That girl was in it.

**Flashback...**

"Who is this girl?" Tetsuya asked, holding up a picture of a little girl with long auburn hair.

"Oh, that's right before I got my hair cut for the first time," Izumi replied, taking the picture. "She's like another part of myself. Of course, she's still around. I mean, she's like my cuter, sweeter, more lovable side. If I didn't have her, I'd be more serious all the time."

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Tetsuya announced.

Izumi giggled and placed the picture above the fireplace. "Oh well, you can't understand everything."

**Back to Reality...**

"That's Izumi," Tetsuya announced to himself in a whisper.

"The Card is somewhere close by, but once we catch it, you have to help me," the girl said forcefully. "You promised you would."

"We'll find your other half after we catch Change," Tetsuya replied in a firm voice and then Tomoyo opened a door and sitting on the teacher's desk was Change.

Change opened its big eyes and when it saw them, it blinked, confused for a second. "Return to your previous form as a card!" Tetsuya yelled and flew towards Change. Change leaped off the desk and out the window just in time. "Man, where is it going?"

BRRRIIINNNGGG!!!

Tomoyo reached for her phone and on the other line was Kero. "Kero? You know how to use a phone?" Tomoyo asked, confused.

"No time for that now!" Kero announced. "I must've been wrong in my calculations! Izumi shouldn't be losing her memories this fast! She just called me Daidouji!"

"What!?" Tomoyo asked. This made Tetsuya worried. "I thought you said a year a day! She couldn't be losing her memory of me that fast!"

"That's what I thought at first, but she's being more and more like the gaki!" Kero replied. "When I asked if she remembered me, she said that she wanted to forget that stupid fuzz ball! If that doesn't sound like the gaki to me, then I don't know what does!"

Tomoyo's eyes widened and then she said, "Let me talk to her."

"What!?" Kero shouted. "Remember, she doesn't remember you as her friend!"

"I don't care!" Tomoyo shouted back, tears in her eyes. Now this really worried Tetsuya. "I just want to talk to her!"

For a while she didn't her anything and then, "What do you want?"

"It's me, Tomoyo," Tomoyo stated.

"How can you be Daidouji if she's here, trying to convince me that I'm Hinako?" Izumi asked in reply.

'She is losing her memories,' Tomoyo thought. "You are Izumi Hinako! Please, try and remember!"

Now, this statement made Tetsuya really mad. If Izumi couldn't even remember who she was anymore, then they have got to find Change. Tetsuya was just about to ask where it had gone, but the girl disappeared.

"What the-" Tetsuya asked himself and then looked out the window. There, he saw Change, waiting for him. He flew out and reached Change's level on the ground.

Tomoyo watched him go out the window and almost thought he was crazy until she saw that he was going after Change. "What are you talking about!?" the voice on the other line asked. "And who is this really!?"

Tomoyo also noticed that Tetsuya was going to fight Change. "Don't worry!" Tomoyo yelled into the phone. "Li-kun will get your memory back! Just hold on!" Then, she hung up the phone and watched Tetsuya from the window.

"Turn Izumi back right now!" Tetsuya screamed at Change. Change just smiled and shook her head back and forth.

All of a sudden, behind Change was a figure, walking towards it. Tetsuya widened his eyes.

It was Izumi. She looked like she was about to cry.

'It can't be,' Tetsuya thought and then, he realized that, if it really was Izumi, it was only her spirit. 'I have to do this, for her!'

Tetsuya flew straight towards Change while it was distracted by the image of Izumi. "RETURN TO YOUR PREVIOUS FORM AS A CARD! CHANGE!" Tetsuya yelled and then a bright glowing green light surrounded Change. It struggled, but finally, it was turned into a card and it flew into Tetsuya's hands. "Turn us all back to normal!"

All of a sudden, a purple light spread out all across the city and Tetsuya looked at his hands. They were back to normal. "It worked!" he heard a voice behind him scream.

It was Tomoyo, still in the window. She was jumping for joy. Tetsuya sweatdropped. 'Hopefully, now, Izumi is safe.' He sighed.

What neither Tomoyo nor Tetsuya noticed was the figure walking out of the school yard, dragging a small girl along with him and holding one card in his hand, Illusion.

* * *

(A/n: Short, I know, but I had no clue what I was doing half the time! Anyway, what's with the whole other half girl? Well, you'll just have to see what happens in the next chapter. I'll be uploading up to Chapter 14 today if not more. I am such a bad fanfiction writer. Never finish what I start. Oh well, review. The button is always here.) 


	14. The First Appearance of Dark

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**The First Appearance of Dark**

The younger Tetsuya and Tomoyo were running towards Tetsuya's apartment as fast as they could to see if Izumi was okay now. If they were back to normal, she should be too. They reached the apartment a few minutes later and quickly rang the doorbell. The door opened for them and they ran up the stairs to the door.

Tomoyo burst through the door and saw Izumi standing in front of her, ready to open the door. She hugged her friend and cried, "I thought I almost lost you!"

Izumi smiled. "Don't worry, Tomoyo-chan, I'm not going anywhere," Izumi replied in her own voice. Then, she turned to Tetsuya who just sort of glared at her, but it wasn't a mean glare at all. "Arigatou, Li, for what you did for me," Izumi stated with a smile.

"I just didn't want you to turn into me, that's all," Tetsuya replied in his cold voice.

"I know," Izumi replied and then sighed. "We had better get going, Tomoyo, Kero. We've got a lot of things to do." Kero flew on Izumi's shoulder. Smiling, Tomoyo followed Izumi and Kero out the door.

When they reached the front door, Tomoyo said, "Actually, I have somewhere I have to be. Gomen, Izumi-chan, but I'll see you tomorrow in school."

"All right," Izumi replied. "See you tomorrow then." She waved as she watched Tomoyo run down the street. "Has Tomoyo been acting strangely lately, Kero?" Izumi asked when Tomoyo was out of sight.

"I haven't noticed a difference in her attitude," Kero answered.

Izumi sighed. 'Maybe I'm just imagining things, but I think she's hiding something from me,' Izumi thought and then walked to her own house.

**The Older Version of Tetsuya...**

"I know where your other half is," Tetsuya explained to the little girl he was dragging along to his apartment. They were actually almost there.

"Really?" the little girl replied. "Then, you know who I am?"

Tetsuya nodded his head just as they arrived at his apartment. He opened the front door and ran up the stairs to his apartment, still dragging the little girl. When he opened the door, Izumi was sitting on the couch, staring at the television and flipping through all the channels.

"Izumi, I've found your other half," Tetsuya stated and Izumi stood up and faced him. He pointed to the little girl beside him.

"I didn't know I was missing half of myself," Izumi replied in a confused and serious tone.

"Well, now you do," Tetsuya replied.

The little girl was so excited and took off her half of the flower necklace. Izumi saw what she did and walked up to her and took off her own half of the flower necklace, but not with as much excitement. They held both pieces up and then put them together.

Suddenly, a pink light surrounded them and when it disappeared one girl, 16 years old, stood in their place. She opened her eyes slightly and then looked at Tetsuya. She smiled and almost made him fall over when she hugged him.

"Arigatou, Tetsuya!" she almost screamed and then let Tetsuya go.

"But, how did you lose your other half?" Tetsuya asked, concerned.

"When Izumi started losing her memories, I had to lose something as well so my other half left me and then was trying to find me," Izumi answered. "See, that first time when I got my hair cut, I was so frightened. My father, seeing how scared I was, gave me this flower necklace." She held up her necklace. "He said it belonged to my mother and it made her brave just like he hoped it would do for me."

Tetsuya was still a little confused about the whole thing, but then again, Izumi wasn't good at explaining things so he didn't ask the question again.

DING DONG!

"That would be Tomoyo," Izumi said, putting her necklace down so it hung around her neck again and running to the door. She told Tomoyo to come up in the speaker phone thing and Izumi instantly opened the door.

"Izumi is back to normal guys!" Tomoyo screamed and ran into the apartment. Izumi smiled as she watched her friend so happy. "And it was all thanks to Li-kun who made a spectacular performance against Change!" Tomoyo laughed.

"I thought Tetsuya hated me right now for taking his body," Izumi wondered. "Besides, he hated me because I was just myself then." Her eyes saddened a bit and she shook her head to get the look of her face. "Why would he help me if he hated me?"

"Here's how it went when Izumi and him were both back to normal." Tomoyo cleared her throat and started the story:

"Izumi was hugging me because I was so glad she was okay now and when we broke apart, she turned to Li-kun.

"'Arigatou, Li, for what you did for me,' she said to him.

"'I just didn't want you to turn into me, that's all,' Li had replied.

"'I know,' Izumi-chan replied in the sweetest voice I've ever heard from her! I swear that they both had big feelings for each other, but they're just too stubborn to admit it." Tomoyo sat down on the couch with a sigh.

"I'd probably say that," Izumi said. "I didn't think that sounded weird to me at all."

"It's not what you said," Tomoyo replied. "It's what Li-kun said. It just seemed like, after everything they have been through together, he just wants to throw their friendship out the window just for some cards."

"Hey-" Tetsuya started, but got cut off by Izumi.

"Tetsuya isn't that stupid," Izumi answered to Tomoyo, sitting next to her. "He just doesn't want to accept the fact that he might actually have feelings for someone. It's just not in his nature. I should know, 5 years past before we actually got together."

Izumi glared over at Tetsuya. "Can't you make him accept that he might like Izumi?" Tomoyo asked, almost begging her.

Izumi smiled at Tomoyo and then replied, "I'm not sure what to say, but since I'll be seeing Tetsuya after school tomorrow, I guess I'll try to persuade him into talking about Izumi and we'll go from there." Izumi could see it in her mind. No matter what happens though, her and Tetsuya will be together in the end, she could feel it.

**Next Day, Little Izumi...**

Izumi was walking to school because her roller blades had a broken wheel from her crash on Thursday and it took her longer to get there. She was almost late, but got there right at the bell and smiled at Tomoyo as she took her seat beside her. Izumi didn't even notice the fact that the desk behind her was empty.

"Where do you think Li-kun is today?" Tomoyo asked at lunch. They were sitting under the cherry blossom tree near the school.

"Li?" Izumi asked. "You mean, he wasn't in class?"

"Weren't you paying attention, Izumi-chan?" Tomoyo asked. "The seat behind you was empty."

'Li has never been absent,' Izumi thought and looked down at her tray for a while, thinking about where he could be.

"Izumi-chan?" Tomoyo asked suddenly, interrupting Izumi's thoughts. "I'm sure that Li-kun is fine."

"Why do you call him Li-kun?" Izumi asked, confused by the way Tomoyo said his last name.

"Why shouldn't I call him that?" Tomoyo asked.

"It just sounds so weird," Izumi replied as soon as the lunch bell rang.

They got ready for karate class by getting into their uniforms and walked over to the bleachers. Just before the bell rang, Izumi noticed Tetsuya walk into class. 'So, he came just for karate class?' she asked herself.

"All right class!" Mr. Huffer yelled and smiled. "Miss Hinacogee couldn't make it today, so I'll be teaching everyone. Today is going to be a fighting day. You may ask what that is, but don't worry, I'll tell you. A fighting day is when anyone can fight anyone else they like, but not to the extent of hurting one another. People can even just join fights and help people out when they're in need!"

The class looked really confused about this all. "Miss Hinacogee thought of it and well, since it's a Monday and you are all tired out from the weekend and don't want to work, you can fight instead!" Mr. Huffer yelled again. "Okay, begin!"

Everyone jumped off the risers and started getting into groups and fighting. Some people were helping work out the style of others while other kids just plain fought it out.

Mr. Huffer smiled. 'Izumi would've loved to see her plan into action,' he thought.

Suddenly, the door to the gymnasium opened. The whole class got silent and looked over at the person standing there. It was Miss Hinacogee. Mr. Huffer stared at her with confusion on his face. 'When I told her to get up, she said she was sick,' he thought in his head. 'Why would she lie about that?'

But something about her didn't seem at all like Miss Hinacogee. She walked to the middle of the gym floor and then, Mr. Huffer saw it. Her eyes were no longer emerald green, but a dark green, like she was being hypnotized somehow.

Something hit the little Izumi then. She had been fighting Tomoyo and now she felt a Clow Card. "Tomoyo," Izumi said in a whisper. "I think a Clow Card has taken over Miss Hinacogee."

Tomoyo gasped which made Miss Hinacogee sharply turn towards her. Miss Hinacogee waved her arm around the gym and everyone but Izumi, Tetsuya, Mr. Huffer, and herself disappeared. "Tomoyo!?" Izumi asked and looked around for her.

"Your friend is no longer here to help you," Miss Hinacogee said in a voice not her own. Then, she smirked at her.

"What did you do to her?" Izumi screamed in reply.

Miss Hinacogee laughed a little and then replied, "I sent her to a world of darkness. The only way to get her back is to defeat me and I doubt you can do that. If you do destroy me, you'll be destroying this girl as well." She meant Miss Hinacogee.

Izumi's eyes widened. 'How can I destroy my own teacher?' Izumi asked herself. 'But it's the only way to free Tomoyo...'

Tetsuya had about his full of this. He knew that Izumi could never destroy a human being, but he had to get the Clow Card and if destroying Miss Hinacogee was the only way to do it, then he had to destroy her. He called upon his sword and was just about to run towards Miss Hinacogee when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned around and there was Mr. Huffer. "There's another way, believe me," he said in a serious voice.

"What do you know about anything!?" Tetsuya asked in reply. Then, something hit him. "Why weren't you transported with everyone else?"

Mr. Huffer was just about to reply when Izumi yelled, "You're Dark, aren't you!?"

Miss Hinacogee just smiled. "And how did you figure that out?"

"I had a dream about this," Izumi replied in a confident voice. "This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! When my memories were diminishing, my mother showed me things from the future, things I could never forget..." She paused. "And you were one of them! You were controlling Tetsuya and I was trying to defeat you! I don't know why it's different, but I know I can stop you without hurting Miss Hinacogee and I will find it!" She jumped into the air and yelled, _"Fly!"_

Wings grew on her staff and she flew through the air. Dark threw shots of darkness at her, but missed her entirely.

Tetsuya wanted to help, but knew that Izumi could handle the card on her own. He just wanted to know who Mr. Huffer really was and why he was still here. "Well?" he asked, glaring at Mr. Huffer.

"You're not going to help Miss Hinako?" Mr. Huffer asked, trying to change the subject.

"She can handle it," Tetsuya replied. "Now, who are you and why are you still here?"

"Maybe I have some magical powers as well," Mr. Huffer replied in a cool tone.

"I would've sensed them," Tetsuya replied.

"Maybe I covered my aura so you couldn't sense it," Mr. Huffer replied again.

"Only a powerful magical being can hide their aura," Tetsuya replied.

"Maybe I'm a powerful magical being then," Mr. Huffer replied.

"QUIT PLAYING MIND TRICKS ON ME AND TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!" Tetsuya yelled which made Izumi glance at him and notice that he was talking to Mr. Huffer before she had to dodge another dark power.

Mr. Huffer chuckled. "I'm you," he replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Tetsuya asked.

"You'll understand soon," Mr. Huffer replied and then ran over to Miss Hinacogee. Miss Hinacogee looked at him and narrowed her eyes, taking her attention off Izumi. Izumi was really confused.

"What makes you think you can challenge me?" she asked with a smirk.

"The fact that you're controlling the one person whom I can free from your spell," Mr. Huffer replied with a smirk.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Miss Hinacogee asked again with a chuckle.

Mr. Huffer took out one thing from his bag and slid it across the floor so it would touch Miss Hinacogee's feet. She picked it up and her eyes widened. "This is-" she started with her own voice and then her eyes started to change back to emerald.

"No!" Dark screamed and her eyes were somewhat emerald and somewhat dark green. "I cannot and will not lose!"

"Remember who you are with that picture!" Mr. Huffer screamed. "Remember all the times you fought the darkness and tried to make everyone you met good, even if there was evil in them!" He didn't want to say her name and have Izumi and Tetsuya find out who they were.

"I can't-" Miss Hinacogee's voice said and then Dark kicked in. "Your plan isn't working!" Dark was taking over again.

Mr. Huffer gritted his teeth. 'I'll have to do it, to save her,' he thought. "All you have to do is remember, IZUMI!"

Miss Hinacogee broke out of the spell just as Izumi and Tetsuya were astonished by what Mr. Huffer just said. Miss Hinacogee fainted just when Mr. Huffer caught her. Everyone started to reappear from the darkness. Izumi quickly got off Fly and turned it back into a card.

"Class is dismissed for today; we'll continue working tomorrow!" Mr. Huffer announced to the class before walking out the gymnasium door.

Izumi almost couldn't think. 'Why did Mr. Huffer call Miss Hinacogee, Izumi?' she asked herself.

"What was that all about?" Tomoyo asked, running over to Izumi. "Did something happen? Was it a Clow Card?"

Izumi didn't answer but just blinked at the spot where Miss Hinacogee had been and noticed something on the floor. She widened her eyes and ran over to it. Tomoyo followed, very confused.

Seeing Izumi run over to where Miss Hinacogee had once stood, Tetsuya followed, wondering what she had seen.

Izumi fell to her knees and picked up what she had seen, a picture frame with tons of quotes all over it. Some quotes she recognized and remembered when she had said them, but others weren't as familiar. What really got her was the picture.

"What is it, Izumi?" Tomoyo asked when she reached Izumi. Tetsuya stopped right behind her. Izumi couldn't even say it so she stood up and showed them the picture.

The picture was of Izumi and Tetsuya. It looked as though they were about 11 years old in it. It was a digitally edited photograph. Tetsuya and Izumi were standing right across from each other with a hard glare in their eyes. They looked as though they were just about to fight. Also, above them was a close up of each of their faces, but faded a little so you could see the background.

"It's us," Tetsuya said, astonished. 'What in the world is going on?' he asked himself. "Why would Mr. Huffer have a picture of us? Let alone a picture when we were clearly older than we are now...unless..." He had just remembered what Mr. Huffer had said in the fight.

"Unless what?" Izumi asked, confused.

"Unless what he said was true," Tetsuya replied and narrowed his eyes. "We have to go after them and see what's going on."

Izumi's eyes got an adventurous twinkle in them. "Right!" she said and all three of them ran out of the school, Tomoyo carrying her camera the whole way.

Izumi didn't really know where Tetsuya was leading them, but she followed the whole way. Tomoyo, on the other hand, wanted to see how the older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya would explain this.

They arrived at an apartment building and Tetsuya rang the intercom. The door opened and they ran up the stairs to the floor where Mr. Huffer and Miss Hinacogee lived and knocked on the door.

It opened as well, but this time, Mr. Huffer answered it. "I suppose you want an explanation?" Mr. Huffer asked with a smirk.

"Yes," Izumi answered. "Why do you have a picture of Li and me?" Izumi held up the picture frame.

"Daidouji gave it to me," the older version of Tetsuya replied and then let everyone come in. "Not this Daidouji, a fifteen-year-old Daidouji."

Izumi got a confused look on her face and the young Tetsuya looked dumbfounded. The older Tetsuya sighed. "It would be a lot easier to explain if Izumi were up," he said and glanced over at the couch where the older Izumi lay.

"What do you mean by that?" the younger Izumi asked in a questioning tone. "I'm Izumi."

The older Tetsuya sighed once again. "Like I said, it's hard to explain with a piece of the story missing," he replied. "Can you guys wait about five more minutes for Dark's spell to ware off?"

"But I thought Dark was gone," the younger Tetsuya stated and then remembered. "How did you know about the Clow Cards?"

"Again, part of the story," the older Tetsuya replied.

So, everyone sat down at the kitchen table and Tomoyo continued taping the whole thing. Explaining everything to Tetsuya and Izumi was going to be great. She couldn't wait to see their faces.

Five minutes later, the older Izumi opened her eyes slightly and then sat up on the couch. She looked over at the kitchen and widened her eyes. She stood up and walked over to the older Tetsuya. "What are they doing here?" she asked him in a menacing tone. "And what happened while I was sleeping?"

"You were being controlled by Dark," the older Tetsuya replied simply and Izumi widened her eyes.

"But I was never controlled by Dark before," Izumi started and then finished, "because I wasn't here before."

"Hold everything, can you please explain to us what's going on now?" Izumi-chan asked in a begging tone. (A/n: Izumi (young) will be Izumi-chan...Izumi (old) will be Izumi-san and the same for Tetsuya.)

"What did you tell them?" Izumi-san asked again, but this time in a puppy dog tone. "We can't tell them anything or the space time continuum thingy will be destroyed."

"We have to," Tetsuya-san replied. "I used your name when I broke Dark's spell and now they're here for an explanation."

Izumi-san stuck out her tongue at him. "You idiot, you could've just used Light," she replied.

"Then, I would have to explain Light," Tetsuya-san replied in a sneaky voice.

Izumi-san narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine," she said. "We'll tell them."

Tetsuya-san cleared his throat and began, "First off, allow me to introduce myself and her," he nudged towards Izumi-san with a mean look and Izumi-san stuck her tongue out at him again. She sat down in the chair across from him. "My name is Li Tetsuya and this is Hinako Izumi."

Tetsuya-kun and Izumi-chan looked astonished. "But that's us," Izumi-chan said in a small voice.

"Exactly," Tetsuya-san replied. "We're actually you both from the future. We had captured almost all of the Clow Cards and only had one more left, Return. Return made us go back in time and come here. We hid our auras so you couldn't sense them and tried to stay discreet until Tomoyo found out, of course."

Tomoyo smiled fondly. "You helped me out with that, Izumi-chan," she said. "I asked them all kinds of questions about what is going to happen in the future and believe it or not, this fight or yours with Li-kun will go on for five years before you settle it!"

Izumi-chan glanced at Tetsuya-kun and then looked down. "Well, we got this crazy idea that maybe if we got close enough to you guys we could make you settle the argument faster," Izumi-san said kindly. "The reason we settled it was because of The Thunder Card, the card that killed Sakura-san and Syaoran-san. Tetsuya had gotten hit and I was astonished, but knew I had to keep fighting. Soon, I got hit as well and Thunder made me go into an illusion. It was this town, but Tomoyo and I weren't friends and Tetsuya wasn't even there. I went to the park to see what happened, but it was normal. Everything was just plain normal.

"A voice inside my head asked me why I remembered something that others didn't, why I loved someone I have never met, why I cried for something that has never existed for me, why I cried for someone who didn't know me. And for a second, I believed it. I believed that none of it was true. But flashes of all the times I had with Tetsuya, Meiling, Tomoyo, Kero ran through my mind. The last thing the voice told me was this and I quote,

"'Believe in what is unbelievable and love who you do not know. Please continue your life as you are and always know that people love you.'

"That made me realize that it was all true and I broke free. I captured Thunder and Tetsuya was all right. That's when we apologized to each other for being so stupid and that's how we became friends again."

Izumi-chan and Tetsuya-kun were astonished. They never really knew that this argument was going to last that long. "Anything else we forgot to mention?" Izumi-san asked Tetsuya-san.

"Everything else will just have to be a mystery to them until the time comes," Tetsuya-san replied. He got up and smiled at them all.

"When was that picture taken?" Izumi-chan asked suddenly.

Izumi-san looked at that picture and sighed. "That is my second favorite picture of Tetsuya and me," she said. "It was when we had just caught The Erase Card. It was one of the best cards to capture." Izumi-san smiled at Tetsuya-san.

"Why?" Tetsuya-kun asked, confused.

"It was just one of those captures you'll never forget," Izumi-san replied. "I can say that no matter what happens now that didn't happen with us will be even more spectacular."

* * *

(a/n: And with that said, I leave you all until next chapter! Review, you know those things can change the future of this here fanfiction!) 


	15. Let's Capture Dark! Why are YOU here!

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Let's Capture Dark!** **Wait, What are YOU doing here?!**

After saying that she had to do something that she completely forgot about, Izumi ran all the way to her house and into her room, saying a quick hello to her father.

"Kero!" Izumi almost screamed when she opened the door to her room. She quickly closed it right before Kero popped up from his drawer, rubbing his eyes. "Miss Hinacogee and Mr. Huffer are actually-"

"I know," Kero interrupted. Izumi widened her eyes in surprise. "Tomoyo told me about you and the gaki."

Izumi smiled. "I still can't get over it," she said happily. "I mean, somehow the older Tetsuya was able to break Dark's spell over the older me! Isn't that awesome!? He must've done some secret art or something." As she said this, she did some martial arts moves.

Kero just floated where he was. "Kero?" Izumi asked and then stopped in place.

"There are only two ways that Dark's spell can be broken," Kero replied and Izumi sat on her bed, curious and confused at the same time. "One is with The Light Card."

"And the other?" Izumi asked when Kero stopped.

"The true love of the person upon which the spell is cast," Kero finished after a while of thinking. Izumi's eyes widened and then remembered what the older Tetsuya said just before he freed Izumi:

'You're controlling the one person whom I can free from your spell,' he had said. 'Did he know that Tetsuya and I were meant for each other? Are we meant for each other? Does that mean that Tetsuya is my true love? Why didn't I know any of this? Why didn't I realize that I do have feelings for Tetsuya? Wait! I do!?! I have feelings for Tetsuya!??!?! How could I?!' Izumi's mind was racing with questions that could only be answered by one person, herself.

"Kero, I'm going back over to the apartment," Izumi said quickly and made sure she summoned Mirror to take her place while she was gone.

Running back to the apartment in the dark was difficult, but after some time, and a few turn arounds, she made it. Quickly, she rang the doorbell and panted as she waited for it to open. It did a few seconds later and she charged up the steps. She rapped on the door and Izumi-san answered it.

"What's wrong, Izumi?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"I-can't-possibly-have-feelings-for-him!" Izumi-chan panted. Izumi-san let her in and led her to the couch to rest.

"Calm down and tell me who you are talking about," Izumi-san replied when Izumi was sitting on the couch. She had a sincere look on her face.

Izumi breathed once and then replied, "Tetsuya. I can't possibly love him because he hates me and I ha-am not speaking to him at the moment."

Izumi-san smiled. "I know how you feel, Izumi," she said and sighed. "I felt the same way until Tomoyo-chan gave me a picture of Tetsuya and I. Meiling had made the cutest frame for it, having every saying Tetsuya and I ever said to one another when she was present. I loved it so much that I realized that I had to admit to myself and to Tetsuya that I did have feelings for him. What if he suddenly died the next day? I mean, I would never be able to tell him if he was gone. And I _wanted_ to.

"I realized that even if he didn't love me back, that doesn't change the way I feel for him. No matter what happens in my life I will always love him. He's my number one." Izumi-chan looked at the ground. How could she be saying all this? She was never a love type of person.

'I cannot and will not love Tetsuya,' she thought. "I won't do it."

Izumi-san was shocked. Izumi-chan stood up. "I can't just bring myself to love him when I don't even know anything about him! I don't know anything about his family or his other friends! He could have a girlfriend back home for all I care! I can't bring myself to love a stranger!"

Just as she finished the last sentence, her eyes got dark green. Izumi-san tried to wake her up before Dark got her, but it was too late.

Izumi-chan on the other hand, had a fight with Dark in her mind, but having so many mixed feelings, her mind sadly lost and Dark took over.

When Dark had full control, it whacked Izumi-san on the side of the head with so much force that she slammed into the wall and made a small crack in the wall. The side of her head was bleeding, but she had to do something to help Izumi-chan. 'But it's so dark, so dark,' she thought just before she blacked out.

Tetsuya-san had overheard the commotion and in an instant, was there in the living room doorway. Dark was just about to finish Izumi-san off, but saw Tetsuya and smiled evilly. "Izumi!" Tetsuya screamed, not for Izumi-chan, but for Izumi-san, but sadly, she did not answer. She had been knocked unconscious.

Of course, Tetsuya-san could not break the spell on Izumi-chan and using Light would never work because it would have to be this Dark's Light, not another Dark's Light. It was just too complicated. 'I need help, fast,' Tetsuya-san thought just as Dark was advancing on him.

**Tetsuya-kun...**

A shock had hit Tetsuya just as he was walking home from the store. 'Why does it have to come now!?' he asked himself and quickly ran home and got dressed. 'It felt strong so I bet it's Dark.' Tetsuya thought that Izumi and Tomoyo were probably already fighting Dark, but for some odd reason, he had to make sure. Not wanting to be obvious, he called Tomoyo with his cell phone.

"Hello?" Tomoyo asked on the other end.

"Daidouji, is Hinako with you?" Tetsuya asked.

"No," Tomoyo answered, knowing it was Tetsuya's voice. "Is something wrong?" Tomoyo feared that it was another Clow Card.

"I thought for sure she would've called you before going after Dark, but now, I'm not sure," Tetsuya replied, a tad concerned.

"Dark!?" Tomoyo almost screamed. "Where is it?"

Tetsuya stopped running, but was still panting. He was right in front of the older Tetsuya's apartment house. "The apartment," Tetsuya replied with determination and then hung up the phone.

He could feel the presence inside the building and knew that it would have to be in _their_ apartment. Tetsuya kicked open the first door and then heard screaming coming from up the stairs. He ran up and inside _their_ apartment, expecting to see the older Izumi trying to kill the younger Izumi, but what he saw made his eyes widen.

Izumi-chan, controlled by Dark, was trying to kill Tetsuya-san. "You cannot possibly win this!" Dark yelled. Its voice was a mixture of Izumi's and a lower voice. It was just creepy sounding.

Then, Tetsuya-san spotted Tetsuya-kun. "Tetsuya! Make sure that the older Izumi is okay! Please!" he yelled it at the top of his lungs and at the moment, that was pretty weak. He had been hit twice by Dark's powerful strike and that was already tiring him out.

Tetsuya-kun just realized that the older Izumi was sitting against the wall with her head bleeding pretty badly. He ran over to her, unnoticed by Dark, and checked her pulse.

'She's still breathing!' he thought thankfully in his mind.

Then, he heard a cry.

"IZUMI!!" Tetsuya-kun turned around to see Tomoyo standing in the doorway, about to cry. Dark had heard her cry and turned to her, smiling. Tetsuya-san had been hit again by Dark and was so weak, he couldn't help Tomoyo.

"Daidouji, run!" Tetsuya-kun yelled and Tomoyo's head flung in his direction. She nodded and ran out the door. He could hear her footsteps going down the stairs.

'Hopefully, that will give me some time to bandage Izumi,' Tetsuya-kun thought. 'If I don't, she could die of blood loss. But what if Daidouji runs out of energy? What will happen to her? What am I going to do?'

"OH TETSUYA!" a voice screamed from the doorway. Tetsuya-kun whipped his head around to see Meiling standing there, smiling at him. Then, she saw the wreckage and Izumi lying against the wall.

"MEILING! How did you know I was here? Oh, wait, nevermind, can you bandage her head while I go find Daidouji?" Tetsuya screamed.

Meiling looked confused and then replied, "Who-"

"Nevermind that, just help her and him over there too," he pointed to Tetsuya, who had just been knocked unconscious by loss of energy.

Meiling nodded and walked over to Izumi, wondering what in the world happened. Tetsuya ran out the door and ran to Penguin Park, the place where he sensed Dark's presence.

'I have to find Tomoyo and Izumi before Dark destroys them,' he thought to himself.

He reached the park just in time for Tomoyo was lying unconscious under a tree and Dark was about to finish her. "Hold it right there!" Tetsuya shouted, pointing his sword straight at Dark.

Dark turned towards Tetsuya and smiled an evil smile. Tetsuya gritted his teeth. Sure, Izumi hated him, but she never gave him that look before.

"Yo, gaki!" a voice yelled from behind Tetsuya. Tetsuya spun around and flying at his eye level was Kero. "I have information that can help."

"What is it?" Tetsuya asked, turning back towards Dark who was advancing on him, one step at a time.

"There are only two things that can break Dark's spell," Kero stated. "One is the Light Card."

"Don't have that, second option, please," Tetsuya said quickly, gripping his sword tighter with every step Dark took.

"True love," Kero replied through gritted teeth.

Tetsuya's eyes glanced at Kero. "What?" he asked sharply.

"Only Light or the person's true love can break Dark's spell," Kero said, louder this time. Tetsuya's eyes grew.

'You're controlling the one person whom I can free from your spell.'

'Does that mean-?' Tetsuya asked in his head. Then, Dark advanced upon him and just before it hit him, he brought up his sword. They locked swords, but Dark was getting stronger by the second.

"How do I get through to her?" Tetsuya yelled at Kero.

"How am I supposed to know!?" Kero replied, also in a yell.

Tetsuya pushed as hard as he could on Dark's sword and jumped over Izumi's body. He swiftly landed on his feet and turned to face Dark. 'I have to do something, but what?' Tetsuya asked himself. "Come on, Hinako, wake up!"

Kero sweatdropped. "Like that's going to work! You called her HINAKO!"

Dark threw a fireball of darkness at Tetsuya and he jumped to dodge it. 'If I call her Izumi, it will go against everything I promised to myself.' He closed his eyes and an image came to him.

The picture his older self had with him, the one he used to break the spell. It came to him, but in a different mood. Izumi and Tetsuya weren't going to fight in this picture. They were smiling at each other and had their fists locked. They looked happy to have captured the card, together.

Tetsuya's eyes shot open and he looked straight at Dark who was glaring at him. 'If I don't call her Izumi, it'll go against this stupid feeling and well, somehow I can't ignore it.' He narrowed his eyes and this time, he was ready. He knew exactly what he had to do to get Izumi back.

'If I don't do this right, I'm dead,' he thought and jumped straight up in the air with his eyes closed. At the peak of his jump, he opened them and landed on a tree right near him. "Hiding in trees won't work; nothing will work against me," Dark said in that evil voice.

"Who says I'm hiding?" Tetsuya replied softly and then got louder. "I'm not about to let you control my friend like that! Don't you get it!" Tetsuya stood straight up on the very top of the tree. "I'm not giving up on Izumi!"

The eyes of Izumi's body began to change to emerald, but somehow the darkness held them back. For a few seconds, they began changing back and forth, trying to figure out who would win, and then, her body fell to the ground.

Tetsuya smiled and jumped down from the tree, knowing he had won. He walked over to Izumi and knelt down. "Are you okay, Izumi?" he asked, concerned that she wasn't getting up. 'Maybe she's unconscious.'

Suddenly, in an instant, Tetsuya was backed up against a tree by Izumi's hand. Dark had won, but was trying to fool him. Dark's hand was wrapped tightly around his neck, choking him. In Dark's other hand was a long sword, pointed straight at his forehead. "Any last words?" it asked.

Tetsuya could barely breath, let alone speak, but he knew he had to do something, but what? What could he do now? "Izumi," he coughed out. It was barely audible, but he felt the grip of Dark's hand get looser. Now, he could talk. "I know you can free yourself." Izumi's eyes widened, but were still a dark green, not yet emerald. Dark was trying to control her still. "You're way stronger than you think you are."

Then, Izumi's eyes narrowed and Dark's grip tightened again. "You cannot free her, not under the present circumstances." What did Dark mean, present circumstances?

Dark's sword came closer to Tetsuya and his breathing got slower. Any more words and he might die, but he had to save Izumi. "T-that's one r-reason why I-I...(cough) I l-love you, Izumi."

A sudden pang hit Izumi and she fell right into Tetsuya's outstretched arms. Just before she did, Tetsuya saw her eyes and they were emerald. In front of Tetsuya, was a tall dark haired woman with a pointy headband and a long black dress. "Dark, return to the form you were meant to be in," Tetsuya said almost silently. Dark's power sealed inside a card and it dropped to the ground, just as Tetsuya fainted.

* * *

(A/n: Wasn't that just adorable? I know, I'm turning into Tomoyo! SO, review and get ready for the next chapter in the process! And I just realized I have that one done as well! An old enemy returns...) 


	16. An Unwanted Guest

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**An Unwanted Guest**

Izumi's eyes opened slowly to reveal a figure leaning over her. "Izumi-chan!" Tomoyo yelled and hugged her friend. "I thought I lost you!" Izumi noticed that Tomoyo had tons of bandages on her arms and legs.

"What happened, Tomoyo?" Izumi asked, astonished.

"You were being controlled by Dark," Tomoyo pointed out, "and Li-kun saved you."

"How did he do that?" Izumi asked, hoping that it was the first way and not the second.

"I was unconscious when he saved you," Tomoyo replied. "Kero was there though, he'll tell you."

Izumi blinked. "Why can't Tetsuya tell me?" she asked.

Tomoyo's face turned toward the floor. "He hasn't waken up yet," Tomoyo answered.

"How long has it been?" Izumi asked, frightened not for her but for Tetsuya.

"Two days," Tomoyo replied without looking at her.

Izumi's eyes widened and she felt tears swell up in her eyes. She took the hospital blankets off her and stood up beside Tomoyo. "No, you just woke up, you can't go out now!" Tomoyo told Izumi and grabbed her arm. Izumi stopped.

"Tomoyo," she said, "I'm not sure what this feeling is in my heart, but I know that it has something to do with Tetsuya." She paused and Tomoyo loosened her grip. "I wouldn't be able to stay here without knowing that he's okay."

Tomoyo smiled sadly. "All right, I'll take you to his room. Meiling is already there."

"Meiling!?!?" Izumi exclaimed as they were walking out the door.

"She came and helped out with your older selves. They explained it all to her."

Izumi was astonished. After everything she did, Tetsuya saved her. She just didn't get it. Why would he do something like that? 'He hates me,' Izumi thought sadly. 'And Meiling is here?'

A few minutes later, they reached Tetsuya's room. Walking in, Meiling stood up. She had been sitting on a chair off in the corner of the room, away from the bed. "The doctors say he's still unconscious, but I overheard them saying that he might not be able to live through the strain. He lost a lot of breath and energy saving you, Izumi-chan."

Now, Izumi felt even worse. This was all her fault! Why did she have to be so weak!? Why did Tetsuya want to save someone who was so useless?! Izumi clenched her fists and looked at the ground.

"Let's leave her alone for a while," Tomoyo whispered to Meiling and she agreed.

They left and shut the door behind them.

Izumi noticed this and knew that this was her only chance to figure out what was going on in her life. She dragged Meiling's chair beside the bed and sat down in it. Looking at his peaceful form was too much so she turned the chair around to face the window and sighed.

"Why would he do that?" Izumi whispered softly to herself. "He hates me and yet, he saved me." Then, she raised her voice, "Why didn't he just leave me to be controlled?!? It's what I would've-" Izumi paused and lowered her voice again. "No, I would've done the same, but why?

"Why would I sacrifice my own life for my-for Tetsuya?" Izumi asked herself silently and then realized what she just said.

Izumi turned her chair around and put her hand on Tetsuya's forehead. She closed her eyes and tried to sense his aura. "You're faint, but you're alive," Izumi stated just before she opened her eyes.

Izumi's eyes saddened but she kept her hand on Tetsuya's forehead. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked herself and then looked at the ground. Her hand moved off his forehead and went to hers. She sighed. "I can't do anything to help him."

Tears started falling from her eyes and fell down her cheeks to fall on her hands. "This is all my fault," she stated through gritted teeth. She looked right at Tetsuya's face, her eyes dripping with tears, and said, "Please make it, don't give up, Tetsuya, I'm with you all the way. (sniff) I may not be able to help you on the inside, but I will never give up hope. You hear that, Tetsuya? I'm not giving up on you. You never gave up on me and I'll do the same. Because-because-I-(deep breath) I love you, Tetsuya." There was no reaction so Izumi just wiped away her tears and picked herself up.

Suddenly, a groan was heard from the bed. Izumi stopped and turned around. Tetsuya was sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. He noticed Izumi and asked, "Izumi?"

Izumi smiled and replied, "It's me, for real this time."

Tetsuya raised an eyebrow. "Come here," he said and moved his hand in a "come here" motion. Izumi obeyed and sat down beside his bed again. Tetsuya moved toward Izumi's face until he was about an inch away. Izumi's cheeks were beet red. "Yep," he moved back. "They're emerald."

Izumi's head turned to the left. "Did you hear what I said before you got up?" Izumi asked him without looking at him.

"No, was I supposed to be listening?" he asked, confused.

Izumi sighed thankfully. 'I don't think I'm ready to tell him yet,' Izumi thought to herself. 'I'll tell him soon and he'll be conscious this time.' "No, I was just talking to myself," Izumi replied and started to walk out of the room. "I think after this incident, we can call ourselves friends."

Tetsuya looked at her with a strange look. She smiled and added, "Someone wouldn't risk their life for just anyone." Then, she left the room.

Tetsuya sighed thankfully. 'Thank goodness I don't have to tell her what happened,' Tetsuya thought. 'I don't think I'm ready to tell her the truth yet. After all, she probably doesn't know it yet.'

**Tomoyo & Meiling...**

Tomoyo and Meiling were sitting in the hospital cafeteria with juices boxes in their hands. Meiling just looked annoyed and Tomoyo was smiling. "Why can't they see it?" Meiling asked in an annoyed tone. "Those two really are dense!"

"I think that aspect of theirs is entirely the reason why they do love each other," Tomoyo replied, smiling.

Meiling set down her juice box and narrowed her eyes at Tomoyo. "Their 16-year-old selves live in the same apartment, for goodness sakes!" she stated with force.

Tomoyo also set down her juice box, but a little more gently then Meiling did. "By the way, how are the older Izumi and Tetsuya doing?" Meiling asked and Tomoyo's eyes lowered.

"I'm not sure," she answered sadly. "I visited them right before I went to see Izumi this afternoon and they still weren't awake."

"At least the nurses had enough sense to put them into the same room," Meiling stated simply. "If one wakes up, they'll wake up the other."

Tomoyo nodded her head in agreement. "Do you think we should go see how they're doing now?" she asked.

"Yes, let's," Meiling answered and picked up her juice box. She threw it up in the air and spun around. Then, right when it fell down to waist height, she kicked it and it went straight into the garbage can. "I've still got it!" Meiling said proudly.

Tomoyo giggled. Meiling had trained in fighting since she was a little girl and she loved to do it. It was a way to get anger out or just to have fun.

They arrived at the older versions' room a few minutes later and opened the door slowly. Their two heads popped out of the opening they made. Looking at each other, they nodded their heads and entered the room.

Two beds were set up in the room, separated by a blue sheet. Izumi-san was closest to the door, sitting up in bed, and looking worried. She didn't even notice that Tomoyo and Meiling came in.

"Hey Izumi," Meiling said and made Izumi-san jump. She looked over at Meiling and smiled.

"I haven't seen you in a while," Izumi stated. "In my time, you were on vacation for 3 months in Hawaii. You look a lot different from how I remembered you. Of course, I remember you when you're 16 so you would be different looking."

"Wow, you let you hair grow pretty long," Meiling said, looking Izumi's hair over. "It's really beautiful long."

"I usually put my hair in pig tails in honor of you," Izumi replied.

"Ever use the twirling technique?"

"All the time."

Meiling and Izumi smiled at each other. "Sorry to ruin the reunion, but is older Tetsuya up yet?" Tomoy asked.

Izumi's eyes saddened. "No, but he'll come around again, I'm confident of it. I didn't hit him that hard, did I?"

Meiling and Tomoyo laughed. When the older versions of Izumi and Tetsuya were telling Meiling everything, they got into a fight and knocked each other out.

Suddenly, they heard a groan from the other side of the sheet. They stopped laughing and stared at the sheet.

Tetsuya-san moved the sheet and glared at Izumi-san who smiled sheepishly. Tomoyo and Meiling stifled their giggles. "What did you do that for?" Tetsuya-san asked, angry at Izumi-san.

"I didn't mean to-" Izumi started, but a knock at the door interrupted her. "Come in!" she shouted, not wanting this conversation to last any longer.

Izumi-chan walked in with a sad smile on her face. "I just want to tell you all that Tetsuya is awake now," Izumi stated in a sweet tone.

Tomoyo and Meiling burst out laughing and Izumi-chan looked surprised. "Uh-it's okay, Izumi, they're not laughing at you," Izumi-san stated quickly. "They're laughing at-uh-Tetsuya! Yeah, he just said the funniest thing!" Izumi tried to fake laugh, but it wasn't working. Izumi-chan still felt down.

Tetsuya-san sighed. "They just think it's funny that Izumi and I knocked each other out over what happened a few days ago," he stated and Izumi-chan smiled at him.

"Hmpf," Izumi-san said. "How is it that you can cheer her up, but I can't?"

Tetsuya-san rolled his eyes. "Think about it," he stated and Izumi tried to calculate it, but it all made her brain hurt. He sighed. "I'm Tetsuya, right? And Tetsuya is the only-"

"-person that could ever cheer me up when I'm down because he has the stupidest things to say and he never really helps solve any problems. He just is really really dense," Izumi-san finished with a knowing look.

Tetsuya glared at her. "Uh-you guys aren't fighting because of me, are you?" Izumi-chan stated, looking at them both.

"Of course not!" Izumi-san stated and Izumi-chan sighed thankfully. "It's his big head that's the problem!" Izumi-chan sweatdropped.

"You're the one who's so dense you don't even know the square root of 144!" Tetsuya-san replied. Izumi-san glared back at Tetsuya and sparks flew between them.

Meiling and Tomoyo were silently watching the fight and were slowly creeping towards the door, not wanting to get into the middle of it.

"STOP IT!" Izumi-chan screamed. Tetsuya-san and Izumi-san stared at her. "I don't like it when you guys fight!" Tears were strolling down her cheeks. "I may not consider it true love, but you guys are supposed to be together! Don't you dare break up because of us, because of this whole Dark thing, because of the fact that Tetsuya and I are friends again, because of the fact that I love him!"

Izumi-chan widened her eyes at what she just said and covered her mouth in surprise. Meiling, Izumi-chan, and Tetsuya-san smiled. Tomoyo cried, "I didn't get to film that!"

Everyone laughed, even Izumi-chan. "We won't fight anymore, we promise," Izumi-san told Izumi-chan and put her arm around Tetsuya-san. "Right, Tetsuya?"

"Only if you get your arm off me," he replied. Izumi glared at him, then caught herself.

"Such a kidder! HA HA HA!" Izumi-san replied and slapped Tetsuya on the back.

Izumi-chan smiled sweetly and all was well again, at least, they thought so.

**Next Day (Thursday), After School, Izumi-chan & Tomoyo...**

"I wonder how Li-kun is doing," Tomoyo wondered out loud while walking home with her dear friend, Izumi.

Izumi was really hyper that day and with a smile, she replied, "Well, I called the hospital this morning and they said that he is going home today!"

"You sure are excited about this," Tomoyo said with a small giggle.

"That's not the only reason," Izumi stated. "This weekend is the Championships of Cheerleading in Tokyo. Since both our team and Mika's team are entered in them, I'll get to see her and Ron!"

"It'll be great to finally meet them!" Tomoyo exclaimed excitedly.

"WAIT UP GUYS!" a voice yelled from behind them. They stopped and turned around. Meiling came rushing towards them and slid to a stop in front of them. "Izumi-(pant)-there's this-(pant)-guy looking-(pant)-for you."

Izumi blinked, confused. "What are you talking about, Meiling?" she asked, concerned.

Meiling breathed in deeply twice and then replied, "He's been looking for you all over town. When he asked me about you, I told him you were probably going home from school."

"What did this guy look like, Meiling?" Izumi asked, worried out of her wits.

"Uh-his hair was a light blonde and he looked like he was a bit angry," Meiling said, pondering.

Fear arose within Izumi's eyes. 'It couldn't possibly be him,' she thought to herself. "Tomoyo?" she asked.

"What is it, Izumi-chan?" Tomoyo asked with concern in her amethyst eyes.

"You and Meiling walk home, I have to deal with this," Izumi stated. She held her head high, trying not to show the fear in her eyes. "Where did you see him?"

Meiling pointed in the direction she had come from. "Down by the ice cream shop near the hospital," she answered. "I had just been checking up on Tetsuya." She paused and then added, "What's this all about, Izumi?"

"Nothing big, Meiling, don't worry," Izumi stated and started to run towards the ice cream shop.

Tomoyo looked after her with worry on her face. "Should we go after her?" she asked.

"We had better or she just might get herself in some danger," Meiling replied and they took off, following Izumi very discretely.

**A few minutes later, Izumi-chan...**

Izumi stopped right in front of the ice cream shop. She was breathing hard, but made sure she was calmed down before entering the shop.

Taking one last deep breath, she took a step towards the shop. All of a sudden, she was pulled back with one arm and turned around, her body just millimeters away from the person. Staring into the blue eyes she had seen way too much, she knew exactly who it was.

She squirmed in his grip while saying, "Let go of me, Kei, why did you come here?"

"For you, baby," he replied with a smirk and brought her closer to him and she just pushed away.

"I said, let go of me!" Izumi replied and kneed Kei right between the legs, making him let go of her. She turned around and ran back a few feet. Then, she turned to face him. He got back up and she said, "How about a bet? We'll fight and if I win, you leave me alone, never come back here again, and never go near Mika or Ron."

"What if I win?" Kei asked with smug smirk.

Izumi gulped. "Then, I'm yours," she replied with distaste. She wasn't about to lose, not after everything that happened while she was here, the Clow Cards, Tomoyo, Meiling, Kero, and Tetsuya...No, she could not lose!

Kei chuckled. "This won't take long," he said and got into position.

"You may have more years experience with this, but I have someone worth fighting for," Izumi stated simply. "You could never understand that."

"Let's start so I can show you that males are the dominant species," Kei replied which made Izumi glare at him menacingly.

Little did either of them know, there were three unexpected spectators of their fight, Tomoyo and Meiling, hiding in the bushes beside the ice cream shop, ready to help if needed, and Tetsuya, watching from the hospital porch roof, wondering why they hadn't noticed him.

"Izumi can so beat this guy," Meiling stated with no doubt in her voice at all. Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

'Show this guy a Cardcaptor's strength, Izumi,' Tetsuya thought and smirked, knowing that Izumi could win this.

Kei made the first move, coming at Izumi with his fist. Izumi grabbed his fist, wincing a bit from the strength, and was going to twist her hand around, but Kei took his hand out of hers and got a clear punch in Izumi's stomach. Izumi grabbed her stomach and fell to her knees. 'He's way too fast for me,' she thought and closed her eyes tight.

Tetsuya was amazed at how good Kei was. He didn't expect that he would ever get a hit on Izumi. "Give up yet?" Kei asked. "I didn't want to hurt you, but you gave me no choice."

Izumi stood up and glared at Kei. "I'm not giving up," she said, determined. Another strike by Kei, but this time, Izumi saw it clear as day. She grabbed his wrist so he couldn't get away and turned in a full circle, making his arm twist. He got his arm away from Izumi and held it. Izumi smirked.

Kei just glared at her. "That was good, but not good enough," Kei said and jumped into the air. He was going to kick Izumi in the face. She held her arms up and blocked him, but her arms now hurt a lot. He came at her with his fist and she blocked it, but he didn't expect to get that on her because he had slid his foot under hers, so she fell backwards to the ground.

Izumi jumped back up, breathing hard. Kei was way too fast for her to win, but so what? She wasn't going to give in to him, especially not when she has the friends of a lifetime. Her friends, Mika, Ron, Tomoyo, Meiling, Kero, and Tetsuya, flashed through her mind and she was ready.

"You won't win," Kei said, proud of himself.

Izumi tried to kick Kei in the face, but he caught it and threw her foot backwards. She did a flip in the air and landed on her feet. Then, she came back and threw a punch at his face, but he caught that too and she tried with her other hand, but he caught that too.

"You're forgetting," Kei said and Izumi glared at him, "I know your weak spot." Izumi widened her eyes.

'Not good,' Izumi thought and Kei pushed her back and kicked her right in the side. She fell to her side on the ground. 'I couldn't do it,' Izumi said to herself. 'How is that possible? I-I failed myself and all my friends. I failed them.'

Her thoughts took her to the past. She was little and wearing a black dress. 'Where am I?' she asked herself. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" a voice asked from behind her.

"Dad?" she asked, turning around.

"Don't worry about your mother, she's gone to a place that's better than this world," her father replied. Izumi widened her eyes. Why did this memory come back?

Izumi's eyes filled with tears. "Don't give up on yourself, Izumi, it's what your mother would want."

Izumi's eyes shot open and she heard laughter. "I told you that you could never beat me," Kei said, laughing evilly.

"And I told you that I'd never give up," Izumi replied, trying to sit up. Kei narrowed his eyes.

"Still trying to stand?" Kei asked. "What do I have to do to get through to you that you won't beat me?"

"The only way I'd believe it was if you killed me," Izumi said, standing now. She opened her arms wide. "I won't believe you're better than me until you do. If you don't, then you're weak. I could never be with a weak person." She paused and then Kei glared at her.

"Why would I kill you?" Kei asked. "You're mine now. I've beaten you."

Izumi put her hands behind her back and then brought out a sword. She held it to her neck and replied, "If you don't kill me, then I will. I'm not afraid of dying, not when I know that my mother is waiting for me."

Kei laughed. "You wouldn't dare kill yourself," Kei replied. "What would your friends think of you then?"

Izumi knew what they'd think. They'd think a Clow Card took her over or killed her or something. They'd never believe she killed herself or that Kei killed her. They would be pained, yes, but living a life as Kei's girl was worse than death, by far.

"So, are you going to kill me or shall I have the honors?" Izumi asked politely.

_"CHANGE!"_ a voice yelled from nowhere in particular...or the roof of the porch of the hospital.

Izumi suddenly had a different view on things, she wasn't facing Kei anymore, she was on the roof of the porch of the hospital, looking down on her and Kei.

'What the-' Izumi asked and then figured it out.

Tetsuya (in Izumi's body) took the sword from her neck. "How about we continue this fight and this time, I'll win?" he asked in Izumi's voice. Kei looked at Izumi's body strangely.

"Fine, put your sword down," he replied and Tetsuya threw the sword so it would land a few feet from him.

Kei ran and threw a punch, but Tetsuya caught it and kneed Kei in the stomach. Then, he punched him again in the stomach and kicked him in the nose while doing a backflip.

Kei held his nose and asked, "What happened to you?"

"I suddenly got more inspiration," Tetsuya replied.

"Or a new mind!" a voice yelled from a few feet away. Tetsuya and Kei both turned their heads toward the voice. Izumi (in Tetsuya's body) was standing there, angry. "Give me my body back right this instant!"

Tetsuya narrowed his eyes. "It's not my fault you gave up on yourself," he replied.

"I was doing just fine by myself!" Izumi screamed. "Now, either you give me my body back or I'll kill myself now." She showed the sword that Tetsuya just threw down and held it to her neck.

"If you kill yourself, you'd be killing me as well," Tetsuya replied and Izumi's eyes widened. She put the sword down and it dropped to the ground.

"You win," Izumi replied and lowered her head.

Tetsuya nodded and changed them back to normal.

Izumi glared at Kei's form as he was getting up. "Leave me alone, Kei," she stated angrily.

"I don't know what's with you two, but I won the fight. You were down," Kei said and grabbed Izumi's right arm. She was surprised.

"Let her go," Tetsuya shouted, now back in his own body. "You were down as well so I think the fight is still on."

"You don't know a thing about fighting!" Kei shouted at Tetsuya. "The first one down for 10 seconds loses."

"What-" Tetsuya started but Izumi interrupted him.

"He's right, Tetsuya," Izumi stated. "I knew I lost when he kicked my side. That's where I got shot once and it never healed properly. That's my weak spot." Izumi was facing Tetsuya with Kei right behind her, holding her arms.

'So, that's why she wanted to kill herself,' Tetsuya thought. 'She believed that death was better than a life with Kei.' "Then, I challenge you for Izumi!" Tetsuya yelled. "Winner gets her."

"Why should I do that when I already have her?" Kei asked.

"Because then, you can kill me," Tetsuya stated and Izumi widened her eyes.

"No way, Tetsuya!" Izumi shouted. "Don't you dare do this for me! I won't ever forgive you if you lose!" Tears were streaming down Izumi's face.

'I don't want to lose you, Tetsuya,' Izumi thought. 'I would never be able to forgive _myself_ if you lose.' Izumi knew what she said was all twisted from what she meant, but she knew Tetsuya would get the point.

"Then, I won't lose," Tetsuya stated and got ready.

Kei pushed Izumi out of the way and onto the ground. "Izumi!" a voice yelled from the bushes near the ice cream shop. Tomoyo went running to Izumi and Meiling followed. They glared at Kei who rolled his eyes.

"It's a regular reunion," Kei said and got ready.

"Tetsuya, you had better beat the pants off him or I will!" Meiling yelled at Tetsuya, throwing a fist in the air at him. Tetsuya nodded in reply.

The first move was made by Kei. He had jumped in the air and was going to kick Tetsuya, but he dodged to the right just in time, seeming a little bored. Then, Kei tried to punch him in the stomach which was another failure. Again and again Kei tried and failed to land a hit on Tetsuya until...

Tetsuya got kicked in the side by Kei who chuckled, but Tetsuya meant to make Kei feel secure. He elbowed him right in the side of the head, a weak spot for almost all humans. Kei fell, but quickly got up, trying to stop the ringing in his ears.

"Give up, yet?" Tetsuya asked, smirking.

"No way," Kei replied and kept on trying to lay punches on Tetsuya. He kept failing miserably.

Then, out of the blue, Tetsuya made a move and kicked Kei in the stomach. Then, he punched him in the face and he fell to the ground. Kei didn't move while Tetsuya shook his fist in pain. "Jeez, he's got hard bones," he said jokingly. Then, he went over to Izumi. "Is she alright?"

"Perfectly fine," Meiling stated. "She's just tired." Izumi was breathing normally and was still conscious, she was just asleep. It was kind of ironic of her to sleep during Tetsuya's heroic battle, but he didn't mind. "Too bad she wasn't up to watch your spectacular performance."

"She would've just got in the way," Tetsuya replied which made Meiling smile.

"Sure she would," she replied. Continuing on, Meiling said that she was too weak to carry Izumi and Tomoyo agreed totally, so Tetsuya ended up having to carry her to his apartment so it didn't look weird arriving at the Hinako's.

* * *

(A/n: Another chapter done. No Clow Cards at all in it! Well, they've got 12 so far...and there are 53, so...they have 6 years to catch them. I wonder if that will change? AND what about Return? What happened to it and why is it not coming back? Also, will Izumi's team win the Championship Cheerleading thing or will Mika's? You'll see eventually...Last chapter up today most likely. Look forward to MORE! After I get everything straight with characters, cards, and such...Which might take a while.) 


	17. Cheerleading Championships Interrupted

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Cheerleading Championships interrupted**

"What do we do now?" Meiling asked as they arrived at Tetsuya's place. "It'll be a while until Miss Hinako wakes up and her dad will be wondering where she is."

"I can go tell him that she's sleeping over my house and well, she fell asleep already," Tomoyo suggested. Tetsuya set Izumi on his couch lightly. "She can stay at Li-kun's house until tomorrow."

"WHAT!?" Tetsuya asked in a yell. "Why here!?"

Tomoyo giggled. "My mother would be a bit suspicious of her at my house and Meiling is staying at a hotel where the owner would get suspicious." Meiling nodded in agreement.

"By the way, where's Kero?" Tomoyo asked, looking around for him.

"Isn't he at Izumi-chan's still?" Meiling asked, confused.

"Alright, I'll tell him about this as well, he can stay at my house for one night," Tomoyo suggested. She turned back towards the door. "Well, we'll be seeing you!" She grabbed Meiling and dragged her out and slammed the door behind her.

Tetsuya watched them go and sighed. 'Great,' Tetsuya thought. 'What am I supposed to do now?' He looked at Izumi's sleeping form. 'I guess she can have my bed.'

He picked her up again and took her to his room and let her have his bed. He got the couch.

**Tomoyo & Meiling...**

"Maybe they'll get along now," Meiling said as her and Tomoyo walked. "I mean, Tetsuya risked his life just so Izumi wouldn't have to be Kei's girlfriend." She laughed. "He seemed pretty angry when he had his arms on her!"

Tomoyo giggled. "That's true," she answered. "It would be wonderful if they could confess their love to each other soon."

"They're just so dense!" Tomoyo laughed again. "How can two people so perfect for each other possibly think that they won't accept the other?"

"Things just won't be the same when they're together," Tomoyo added with a sigh.

Meiling nodded. She didn't have to fly back to Hong Kong until Sunday and boy was she glad about that!

**Midnight, Izumi-chan...**

Izumi woke up at about midnight and sat up. She blinked as she looked around. 'Where am I?' she asked herself. The covers of the bed were green and on the dresser were some picture frames. She picked the first one up which was of four girls, smiling and having fun.

Izumi had no clue who they were so she went onto the next picture. It was of her. She blushed at the sight of it. She hadn't seen this picture in forever! It was when she was bummed out from cheerleading practice one day last year because her old boyfriend (a/n: not Kei) dumped her. Mika had taken it and made Izumi really mad, but she thought that Mika had burned all the copies of this.

She was sitting on a fence with one leg stretched out and the other bent. Her arms were wrapped around her leg and she was staring out at the sky, thinking.

'How did this guy get a hold of this?' Izumi asked herself. Then she looked at the back of the picture frame. It had a note on it:

**Hi!**

**You really don't know me, but we BOTH know Izumi-chan and that sort of makes us friends, right? I gotta be your friend if you're going to marry Izumi some day! Anyway, this is for you, it's the best photo I have of her and well, she thinks all of these pics are burned! He he he...**

**Mika**

'MIKA!' Izumi thought and set the photo back. 'Wait, marry me?' Izumi blushed. 'Who-'

An image of Tetsuya flashed through her head that made her blush redder. She shook her head to get it out and fell back onto the bed. "Why did I think of him?" Izumi asked herself and closed her eyes. "Sure he's nice, but..." Her heart started beating faster and she couldn't say anything anymore. 'He's...well, we're totally different! We can't be together ever! He'll reject me the moment I say something!'

Then, an image of her older self and Tetsuya's older self flashed through her head. "Although, we do seem happy together," she said almost silently, her eyes going into an "in love" look. Then, she shook out of it. "No," she said sternly, raising her voice a bit.

Izumi sat up and picked up the pillow behind her. "It won't be like that forever," she stated like she was in a trance. "It'll end up just like before." No tears came to her; she wasn't sad, she was angry. "How could I let myself go through that again? Why would I do that?" Then, something hit her. "But if I can change what's happening now then I can change my future!" She smiled. "I won't get heartbroken again!" she yelled and then threw the pillow against the wall.

Then, she heard another bang from outside the room and a voice. Her eyes widened and she got out of the bed and walked slowly to the door. She opened it really fast and standing right in front of her was Tetsuya about to knock on the door.

"What are you doing in there?" Tetsuya asked.

"Uh-I just got a bit angry, that's all!" Izumi replied, getting a bit red from embarrassment.

"Well, try to keep it down. Some of us are trying to sleep." Izumi nodded vigorously and Tetsuya yawned and turned around while she closed the door.

Izumi sighed and leaned against the door, sliding down it so she was sitting on the floor. 'That was really embarrassing,' she thought and then realized she was in Tetsuya's room.

She stood up quickly and tried not to touch anything while she examined it. She had no clue why she wanted to know his room from front to back and left to right, but she did. Hey, she might as well.

"Omigosh!" Izumi yelled and then opened the door really fast, making a really loud noise when it hit the wall which made Tetsuya fall off the couch again. "Sorry, but I gotta go!" Izumi ran for the door, but Tetsuya beat her there.

"Where are you going?" Tetsuya asked.

"I have to get ready for my cheerleading tournament this weekend! I'm gonna be late!" She tried to get past Tetsuya, but he stopped her.

"It's midnight, Izumi," he replied.

Izumi sweatdropped. "Oops..." She felt so embarrassed. This was not the best night in the world. "Uh-um-well-I wanted to ask you something," Izumi stammered, blushing at the thought of what she was going to ask.

"Yeah?" Tetsuya asked, completely confused by what she was asking.

"Why do you have my picture on your desk?" Izumi almost yelled and Tetsuya got beet red. Izumi felt her heart pounding, but this conversation might lead to a more important one that involved their relationship.

"Oh, uh-well-you see-Mika, your friend sent it to me in an e-mail and well, I printed it out," Tetsuya replied, his heart pounding as well. He didn't think he was going to get out of this conversation alive.

"Why is it on your desk, though?" Izumi asked, moving closer to Tetsuya who got even more red, if that was possible. She wanted to make him admit that he liked her, then, she could dump him right on the spot and not have to go through the heartbreak later.

"Uh-I-well, it's a nice picture," Tetsuya stammered out in response. He couldn't tell her that he liked her now, here, in his own apartment! What would happen next? He couldn't think about that.

Izumi thought for a second and then sighed, thinking of nothing else she could do. "About that," Izumi started, but couldn't say the rest. "I-" 'Just say it, I want it back!' Izumi thought. 'Four simple words! That's it! And then, your life is free!' She closed her eyes tightly. 'But, how do people stay married for fifty years or more? Do they really love each other? Is that what Tetsuya and I have? Is that why the spell over me was broken?

'Do we really love each other?'

"Izumi?" Tetsuya asked, concerned. "You okay?" He put his hands on her shoulders and her face got bright red. She looked up into Tetsuya's eyes and just like the first time they met, their eyes were lost in each other's eyes.

"Tetsuya," Izumi started and their faces got closer and closer.

BRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGG!

Izumi and Tetsuya fell over, not expecting the phone to ring at that very moment. Tetsuya was the one who answered it. It was Tomoyo. "So, did I wake you guys up or catch you at a busy moment or something?" Tomoyo asked and smiled to herself.

Tetsuya got red. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Tomoyo replied. "Now, let me talk to Izumi."

Tetsuya handed the phone to Izumi and mouthed 'Tomoyo' as Izumi took the phone and said, "Tomoyo...why are you calling Tetsuya-kun's house at midnight?"

Tomoyo laughed on the other line and then she calmed down to say, "Meiling's over here and we just finished watching all the videos from when you first became Card Mistress. Of course, Meiling's asleep. And I had to talk to you about the fight today so I decided to call. I guessed that you would be up by now."

Izumi sighed. "What about the fight today?" she asked, knowing whatever it was wouldn't be good.

"When did you get shot and why didn't you tell me about it?" Tomoyo asked sincerely.

Again, Izumi sighed. "It's a long story..." she said simply.

"I've got time if you're not too tired," Tomoyo replied gently. Izumi glanced over at Tetsuya who had left Izumi to her own conversation and currently sat on the couch, flipping through random television channels. She knew he was listening though...to her half of the conversation at least.

"Well...it was the day my mother died..."

**Flashback...**

"Please may we go to the Christmas Carnival, mommy?" asked a small Izumi five days before Christmas Eve. Her emerald eyes shone with wanting and a slight tint of sadness at the possibility of not going. Two cute auburn pigtails hung from the sides of her head tied up with pink ribbons. Her bottom lip was pushed forward; she was doing the classic puppy dog pose. Her small hands were clasped in front of her in a pleading motion.

More than anything, little Izumi wanted to go to the carnival. That morning, she had even attempted to dress herself - although it ended slightly badly; her shirt was backwards and her shorts were inside out. Laughing, her mother fixed it and was sitting in a rocking chair, holding the small girl.

"You know mommy has to go to her job interview today, sweetheart, at the bank, remember?" the girl's mother asked her in a quiet voice.

Izumi's eyes saddened as they focused on the necklace around her mother's neck, a gorgeous pale purple flower strung from a golden chain. "Can't we go after?" she asked, looking back up at her mother's eyes.

The mother's mouth curled into a tiny smile and her eyes closed as she took a deep breath, giving in. "Alright, but you have to be good while mommy's at the bank, okay?"

Izumi's emerald eyes brightened extraordinarily as she exclaimed in her small voice, "Hai!"

Thus, the mother and daughter pair drove to the bank across town. Silently but happily, the small girl walked beside her mother into the building. The mother spoke to a few people and then sat down at in front of a huge desk. She shook hands with the man behind it and then a conversation began.

The little Izumi didn't focus on the adults' conversation whatsoever. Instead her eyes wandered around the bank, taking in everything from the people behind the desks to the others filling out papers at stands. She had never been to this place before and it astounded her. Why did so many people come to such a boring place? They should all be at the carnival.

'I should tell them about it,' Izumi thought and slipped silently out of the chair beside her mother. Both adults were in deep conversation and neither noticed the girl walk off.

Izumi walked over to the closest person and gently pulled on the lady's dress. The lady bent down and asked where Izumi's mother was. Just before Izumi could answer, a hand gently grasped hers. She turned slightly to see her mother beside her. "Izumi, please don't wander off. Stay beside me," her mother stated.

Izumi nodded sadly. She wouldn't be able to tell the people to go to the carnival like she was. They wouldn't have fun like she would. But she wanted to obey her mother. And so, she obeyed that one last request of her mother's.

The next few minutes were all a blur in little Izumi's memory. She remembered every detail until the point the two turned around...how could she not? It kept replaying in her head afterwards. But because she wanted to forget the next part, her memory came in flashes.

She remembered four men all in black, yelling words she couldn't remember. They carried huge black objects and pointed them at people who cowered to the floor. She remembered two running to the desk and asking for the key to the safe. She remembered her mother being forced to find the owner of the bank for that very same key. She remembered that man who her mother had spoken to moments before and how no matter how desperately her mother looked, she couldn't find him. She remembered how then sirens were heard.

Izumi noted the looks of desperation on the faces of the four men. She noted the happy expressions on everyone else's faces. She noted how each one stood then and she did as well, thinking somehow it was right. She noted how the people then surrounded the men. Why...she didn't know that.

Izumi lived through the mob, pushing and shoving. The four men in black then warned they would shoot. And they did. Four shots were fired, one from each of the men...one hit the little girl's mother in the middle of the stomach, another hit little Izumi's right side, and the final two shots hit two other innocent victims.

Two died that day, two were injured. The four men were sentenced to life for involuntary manslaughter.

**Present...**

"I had asked my father about it later and most of the last few things I told you were from him. I was too young to understand most of it... when it happened..." Izumi ended finally. She noticed then, the tears that fell from her eyes and wiped them away. "But, I'm alright. That's the past and I've had my tears. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, Tomoyo."

Silence came from the other line and Izumi asked, "Tomoyo...?"

The sound of a blown nose followed and then Tomoyo answered, "That was such a sad story, Izumi! (sniff) I'm so sorry...(sniff)"

Izumi smiled sadly and then replied, "Thanks." Perhaps Tomoyo knew exactly what that meant, perhaps not. To Izumi, it meant 'thank you for not blaming me as everyone else did.' And she was happy...to finally be able to fully trust her best friend, not that she didn't trust her before, but this was a new kind of trust and she liked it.

When the two girls hung their phones up a few minutes later, Tetsuya stood in front of Izumi looking serious, but sad; the channel surfing on the television long forgotten. "I'm sorry..." he got out.

Izumi shook her head. "It's okay." She paused and then, wanting to get off the subject of her past, asked, "Are you sure you don't mind me taking your bed?"

Tetsuya shook his head and with that, Izumi headed off to Tetsuya's bedroom and Tetsuya headed to the couch once again. Izumi suddenly felt incredibly better inside; she had already forgotten her attempt to cut her "relationship" with Tetsuya before it could begin. She knew she did feel something for him, but her own heart couldn't take another disappointment. And she also knew for certain that their older selves were meant to be together. But since that future was entirely changed, her own future could be completely different from her older self's... The whole thing made her brain hurt. So, she left it.

Why stop something she didn't understand completely?

**Ten Hours Later...**

"I can't believe we're finally here!" Izumi squealed as she twirled around in one spot. The day had finally come, Cheerleading Championships. It all came down to the top twenty teams in the country of Japan and they would enter the international competition.

Plus, Izumi would finally see her good friends Ron and Mika from her old school.

The squad entered the locker room and started changing for their first round of competition where the squads had to show they all knew the basic moves of cheerleading. Izumi looked around for Mika, but when she couldn't find her, she gave up. She could see her afterwards. Instead she changed into her uniform and went over everything with Tomoyo one last time.

Then, something hit her - hard. Her eyes widened and she broke off the sentence she was saying. "Izumi-chan?" Tomoyo asked, concerned.

Izumi stood firmly and grabbed the Key of Clow from her gym bag as well as the container her Clow Cards were in. "Return's back," she stated simply. Then she turned to Tomoyo with an apologetic look on her face, but before Izumi could speak, Tomoyo held up her hand.

"Go, Izumi-chan, they'll need help and we can survive," she stated with a smile.

Izumi's eyes lit up and she hugged her friend before running out of the locker room and to the spot where she sensed Return. As she ran, she quickly released her wand,

"_Oh, Key of Clow,_

_Power of magic, power of light,_

_Surrender the wand,_

_The force ignite._

_Release!"_

Grabbing her wand and quickly taking out the first Clow Card for use, she stopped right behind three people and huffed out, "Sorry I'm late!"

All three people were surprised to see her, but she merely added, "You guys need all the help you can get, fighting a Card that can bring back the dead."

Izumi-san smiled at her younger self before twisting around again. "But where is it? It was just here..." she stated and tried sensing it once again.

Before she could get a clear reading, ten holes appeared on the ground and up came more undead...like the last time they fought the Return Card. Izumi-san quickly released her Sword Card and started off to battle. Both younger and older Tetsuya started fighting as well.

Instead of fighting herself, Izumi-chan stayed where she was. She noticed that any undead that came near her was swiped away by one of her companions and so she decided to think up a plan. But how do you fight something that won't show itself and when it does, it suddenly returns you to your old position?

Then, it hit her. Only one thing could stop time itself, the Time Card!

But last time she tried that, the Return Card got away. Then again, that was only because Time ran out...she didn't have enough strength to let it last longer. Maybe she could do it again and this time she could capture Return before it got away.

'It's worth a shot!' she thought and then held up the Clow Card in her hand, the first one in her Clow Card deck was always Time. She had a fondness for that card over the others for some reason. Please let this work...

_"Ti-" _Before her word was uttered, a lightning bolt struck the ground mere feet in front of her. Her eyes darted to the trees where a beast entirely made of lightning stood as if it weighed nothing. Her three companions took in the scene as well.

"Why is Thunder here?" Tetsuya-san asked, aggravated and sliced a zombie who was coming close to him. "This definitely isn't right!"

Izumi-san shook her head, but didn't voice her opinion as she was fighting a zombie who had just cut off her case of Clow Cards. They sat just out of arm's reach.

Tetsuya-kun, on the other hand, spoke his opinion loudly, "Who cares if it's not right! It happened and so we have to deal with it!" He sliced a zombie and then jumped back beside Izumi-chan who grabbed one more Clow Card from her case. _"WINDY!"_ She threw the Card up into the air and then lowered her wand onto it. The Windy Card progressed up to the trees and encased Thunder in a cocoon of wind.

"That won't hold it, you know!" Tetsuya-kun shouted but Izumi-chan was already holding up three more cards.

_"Power, Sword, Jump!"_ she yelled as she threw the cards into the air and struck each one. Wings appeared on her shoes, her wand turned into a sword, and her strength increased incredibly. She turned to Tetsuya-kun and then they both nodded in unison.

Thunder then struck the ground where they were both standing with another bolt of lightning. Luckily, they had jumped apart from one another and were now heading towards Thunder on separate sides.

Suddenly, a blue light appeared before both kids. They abruptly stopped, knowing just what would happen next...

* * *

(A/n: You guys might kill me for this ending, but I'm doing it anyway. One last chapter and then I'm done. I'm going to like writing the next chapter... Sorry this one was pretty short. I was going to make it longer but that was the perfect place to end!) 


	18. Arigatou

**Another Chance**

**By: harada sis**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura, which is very mean and rude and well, just plain sad. Anyway, CLAMP owns all of CCS and all the characters I use in this story, except for Izumi, Tetsuya, Mika, Ron, Kei, Chris, Jonouchi, Hayao, and all the characters that aren't in CCS that I have already used or might use in the future.**

**Summary: Sakura and Syaoran were killed...by a Clow Card. All the cards released themselves. And now two new Cardcaptors are coming into the picture...Will they be able to take their place or will they die as well? **

**Key: "talking"**

'**thinking'**

**Scene Change...**

**(a/n: author's note)**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Arigatou**

Suddenly, a blue light appeared before both kids. They abruptly stopped, knowing just what would happen next. The blue light surrounded them and they began to fly through a vortex in time. It was like stuffing yourself inside a washing machine and turning it to full blast, for how much your brain rattled around.

When the two children finally came out of the vortex, they both hit the cold ground...hard. "Oooow..." Izumi grumbled and slowly lifted herself to a sitting position, holding her head with her eyes closed, trying to steady the rattling of her brain. How did her older self ever survive Return travel? Or perhaps she was just more prepared for it?

Slowly regaining her normal mind set, Izumi opened her eyes. She took a few deep breaths while her eyes adjusted to the light and then glanced around. The setting looked the same as the children had left it, pretty barren and bleak. The building the Cheerleading Championships were held in was still there so they couldn't have gone too far back in time, right?

"Why did Return send _us_ back in time?" Tetsuya asked beside her, holding his head just like she was. At least she didn't feel bad for being thrown around like a rag through the vortex. Izumi sighed and shrugged, taking her hand off her head and slowly standing.

With a few deep breaths and a tad bit of shaking, she was able to stand. Izumi looked over at Tetsuya to see that he was standing as well. He was examining their surroundings, probably looking for any trance of Return. "Ah, screw it. Let's just find out what time it is and see how to get back to our time," he added, kicking a stone in the dirt and then searching for a person around the bleakness.

He spotted someone quickly and the kids walked over to the woman. "Excuse me, but what's the date and year?" Tetsuya asked sincerely, trying not to sound insane.

The woman chuckled lightly and replied, "The 23rd of May in 2003. And what are two children like you doing wandering around here?"

Tetsuya explained to the woman a false story, obviously not being able to explain the truth. Izumi wasn't listening to the story but wondering over where she had heard the date before. Then, she realized it and everything suddenly clicked inside her mind.

"Izumi?" Tetsuya asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl's enlightened expression.

Izumi looked straight at Tetsuya with her wide eyes and open mouth, then she took a deep breath, closing her eyes, before responding, "May 23 of the year we left..." She paused, not knowing how exactly she could go on.

"Yeah, it's not that long ago," Tetsuya stated and then corrected himself, "Or...the date we left isn't too far in the future, I mean..."

Izumi shook her head abruptly and looked straight into Tetsuya's eyes, distress evident in her emerald orbs. "March 23rd is the day Sakura-san and Syaoran-san died."

Tetsuya's mouth dropped open and his eyes grew extremely wide. "WHAT?!" he yelled unbelievingly. Then, he caught himself and asked more quietly, "Are you serious? You're not saying that as some lame joke, right?"

Before Izumi answered, Tetsuya already knew it wasn't a joke. Izumi was calculating something in her mind and her eyes had a determined glint in them. "It's not a joke at all, Tetsuya," she said seriously, taking in her surroundings once again.

"You can't possibly be thinking that we have to save them, right?" he asked incredulously.

Izumi nodded firmly and then added, "Maybe that's _why_ we took their place - to save them!" She started off walking around the building and towards a road in front of it. "It's uncanny, but I think it's right. We weren't meant to capture all the Clow Cards, but to use the ones we have to save Sakura-san and Syaoran-san."

"So you think it's one of those alternate reality deals - where our dimension didn't really exist or it only existed for the time it was needed," Tetsuya established, catching up to Izumi and falling in beside her. "If that's true, what happens to us?"

Izumi stopped at the road and looked both ways. "Which way did we come?" Izumi asked, racking her brain to remember something that happened only a few hours ago to her, but wouldn't happen for a long while to the rest of the world or never even. She ignored Tetsuya's question completely.

"Izumi...you're avoiding the subject," Tetsuya stated abruptly, not answering her question even though he knew the answer.

Turning to him, Izumi frowned. "Let's talk about all this when we get back to Tomoeda, alright? We only have a few hours to get there _and_ plan what to do when Thunder comes," Izumi exclaimed, exasperated at his questioning.

Sighing, Tetsuya gave up for the moment. He pointed to the left, indicating that was the way they arrived. Izumi nodded and started walking up the road. Tetsuya sweatdropped, knowing they couldn't walk the miles to return to Tomoeda. But...how would they get there?

**Five Hours Later...**

Izumi and Tetsuya arrived at Penguin Park dragging their feet and letting their arms hang down, almost to reach the ground. The minute they reached the nearest tree, both kids plopped down upon the grass underneath. "I (pant) can't believe (pant) we had to hitchhike, then (pant) got kicked out (pant) of the car because you (pant) had to complain about the (pant) radio station, and then had to (pant) find some other way to come back (pant) and the only thing around was a stable with (pant) no horses and five mules, but it didn't end there! No! (Pant) You insulted our rides and they dumped us on the road. (Pant) So we had to walk three miles before we were picked up by a nice stranger (pant) who turned out to want to rape us! (Pant) Thank goodness for Dash! (Pant) And..."

"Izumi! (Pant) Shut up!" Tetsuya yelled and then wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He was not in the mood for Izumi's speech right then.

Izumi took a deep breath before saying, "If we could have used Fly-"

"And have people notice and then we'd end up being put into an insane asylum!" Tetsuya replied, catching his breath finally.

"Ah, they would have just dismissed it as them going crazy!" Izumi replied, shrugging it off. "You just think too much. And what about Dash and Jump?"

"To go so far with those, it would take too much power from you," Tetsuya explained. "We need all the power we can get for the fight in only a few hours."

Abruptly, Izumi silenced herself. That's right. Tonight was the night Sakura and Syaoran died. And they would be saving the two. "Which reminds me..." Tetsuya started.

Izumi scooted forward so she could lie down on the grass. "What?" she asked, closing her eyes. She was infinitely tired, after everything they went through just to arrive here before nightfall. They made it with some time to spare, but only because she ran the last few miles with Dash until Tetsuya told her to stop. It would be harder to run with Dash in town and he didn't want her running into someone. It could turn painful.

"Are you really prepared to save them despite the consequences?" Tetsuya asked seriously.

Izumi sighed; she knew this was coming and she gave the only answer she could, "Yes."

Tetsuya knew her answer; he just wanted her to know what it contained. "You'll forget everything about the Clow Cards, you know. It will be like you never became Card Mistress. You may never have even moved here to Tomoeda; I definitely won't be here. Tomoyo won't be your friend and neither will Meiling. You won't have the fighting skills you do. Kero will still be with Sakura-san so he obviously won't know you. You'll become a normal kid again, no fighting Clow Cards, no fun adventures, no-"

"Bruises that last days, no tiredness after using too many cards, no fights between friends, no older selves, no magic, no more being special...it's difficult knowing I won't remember anything. But once that happens, I won't care anymore _because_ I won't remember it... It's just-" Izumi interrupted, knowing where Tetsuya was taking the argument.

"We have to do it," Tetsuya stated, surprising Izumi.

"What?" Izumi asked, thinking she heard wrong. This was the guy who was just playing the devil's advocate. And now he agreed with her?

Tetsuya sighed. "We can't just allow two people to die for our selfishness. It was alright when we didn't know them and had no way to stop them. But it's different now..."

Izumi sat up and nodded in agreement. "We may not know them personally, but we've met their friends, we've gone to their school, we've fought their Clow Cards, we've lived their lives for a long time..."

"And now we can stop their deaths and repay them," Tetsuya stated firmly.

Sadly, Izumi looked up to the sky through the tree branches and chuckled about what she was about to say. "For giving us their lives even if only for a short time. I had fun, you know, battling Clow Cards and fighting you for capture of them." She laughed lightly, remembering the times they shared.

"I'd say that was the best part," Tetsuya agreed and Izumi shoved him, making him fall over onto the grass, laughing. Shortly, Izumi began laughing as well.

Everything Tetsuya has said was true right down to the point of her never moving here to Tomoeda... but he never once mentioned her forgetting him. Would he miss her at all? Oh, wait, of course not. He wouldn't even remember her and she wouldn't know him. Izumi's laughing cut short when she remembered their older selves. "I guess they'll be mad at us...or would be mad at us if they knew," Izumi stated, smiling at the thought of their older selves yelling crazily at them.

"Who'd be mad?" Tetsuya asked, confusion evident on his face.

"Ourselves - I mean, our _older_ selves," Izumi answered, correcting herself. "They were so happy together and we'll be annihilating their whole future together."

Tetsuya shrugged. "They'll forgive us. Or wait, we'll forgive ourselves? Ah, you're confusing me!" Tetsuya grumbled and then he turned to Izumi and explained, "_We're_ making this choice. So, if we're mad at ourselves for it, it will be like regretting saving them. But we both know we won't regret it and probably never will." Tetsuya paused and then asked, "Does that make any sense whatsoever?"

Izumi crinkled her forehead and answered, "None."

Sighing, Tetsuya replied, "Oh well. Then just don't think about the future and definitely not the past. Think about today and tomorrow. We still have to plan our action against Thunder."

"Right...but how can we prepare when we have no idea what Clow Cards Sakura-san and Syaoran-san have captured?" Izumi asked. "If all four of us work together, then we'll definitely beat Thunder."

"You know exactly how they died, right? Didn't Daidouji show you the video of their deaths? And you also know the exact time right? It's about 6:30pm now." Tetsuya asked, trying to place everything in his mind.

"How did you know about the video?" Izumi asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "And Tomoyo said they both died slightly before 9:00pm meaning they probably arrived here at 8:30pm."

"Daidouji told me about it a while back. She said she would show it to me someday but never got around to it," he explained and then gestured to Penguin Park. "Can you show me exactly where they were and about what happened before and after?"

Izumi nodded slowly, processing everything in her mind. She hoped she remembered enough from the video to help Tetsuya with their plan of action the next night. So, with a deep breath, she stood and started walking over to the main portion of the park, Tetsuya following closely behind.

**Two Hours Later...**

Hoping their plan would succeed, the two kids from the future waited in the treetop nearest to the area where Sakura and Syaoran would be fighting and waited for the two to arrive.

A few minutes after their planned time of 8:30pm, Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo came flying in on Sakura's staff which had grown wings because of the Fly Card. A bolt of lightning struck the ground next to them as Sakura veered so it didn't hit them directly.

"I already caught the Storm Card!" Sakura yelled behind her shoulder at the flying Kero beside her. "What Card is this?"

Another bolt of lightning struck just beside where they were flying and Sakura dodged it at the last second. She figured they'd be safer on the ground, farther from the thunder bolts. They would be easier to doge then and she was still learning about flying with the Fly Card. When the three of them reached the ground, Sakura's staff changed back to normal.

"It's the Thunder Card!" Syaoran yelled in response to Sakura's question. His eyes focused on the sky, waiting for another lightning bolt to strike the ground.

Tetsuya nudged Izumi who had been caught in the excitement of watching the capture as if it was a videotape once again. "That's our cue. Come on!" Tetsuya whispered and he jumped down from the tree limb he sat on. Izumi nodded and took a deep breath, jumping after him, suddenly gald she had released the Jump Card long before Sakura and Syaoran appeared.

"The Thunder?" Sakura questioned, keeping her eyes to the sky.

"It's very powerful Sakura," Kero stated seriously, flying up so she would be in the girl's eyesight. "Be careful."

Sakura grinned at her flying friend. "Don't worry Kero! I know what to do," she replied confidently. She grabbed the Clow Cards she had caught from her pocket and flipped through them until she found the one she wanted. _"Jump!"_ she yelled as she threw the Card into the air and struck it with her wand. Her shoes grew small wings and she jumped just in time to dodge a lightning bolt aimed straight for her.

Syaoran was jumping around as well. They were both looking for the center of the cloud, knowing if they struck it, the Card would show its true form and they could capture it. After a few minutes of near strikes and perfect dodges, Syaoran filled found the center.

"There!" he yelled, stopping his jumping for one mere second.

But just before a lightning bolt struck him, a force knocked him to the ground beside the place he once was. When Syaoran witnessed his savior, he jumped backward and nearly stumbled over his own two feet. "Wha-? Are you some kind of illusion?" he asked, pointing at the boy in front of him angrily.

The boy, Tetsuya, rolled his eyes and looked up at the sky just in time to dodge a lightning bolt directed at him. "No time to explain!" he yelled and then added, "Just pay attention to the bolts more!"

Flabbergasted, Syaoran nodded and dodged another bolt coming for him.

Sakura, on the other hand, was jumping towards the two boys frantically, hoping Syaoran was alright. Although, he looked to be just fine while dodging the bolts attempting to strike him. Her eyes were focused solely on Syaoran as she jumped across the park.

"Syaoran!" she yelled when she was close to him. "Are you alright?" The second she stopped on the spot where she stood, a bolt of lightning tried to strike her. Luckily, someone was watching out for her and saved her just in time. The girl who saved her quickly raised Sakura to her feet and told her to pay attention to the Card and not to her partner.

Sakura nodded, not understanding what was happening at all. Nonetheless, she listened to her savior and didn't pay attention to Syaoran at all. Instead, she asked the girl, "Who are you?"

The girl laughed as she told Sakura to jump. Sakura did so and both girls took off at the same time, jumping farther than they could have separately. The jump took them to the center between the two boys. "Sorry, I'm Izumi Hinako from Tokyo. And that's Tetsuya Li, Syaoran's cousin," Izumi explained as quickly as she could. Knowing they would most likely disappear right after the battle, all explanation had to be done while battling.

Tetsuya took up Izumi's story where she left off. All the while, the four dodged lightning bolts and tried not to get killed. "Truthfully, you both _died_ in this battle and then we arrived and took your places."

Izumi nodded and did a back hand spring to dodge another bolt. "But we were sent back here by the Return Card and we decided to save you both. We think _that's_ why we came here. And so, because of all this, our old reality will be an alternate dimension and it will have never existed at all!"

"That doesn't make any sense whatsoever!" Syaoran yelled in response, dodging yet another lightning bolt. Sakura nodded in agreement; she was the one to get easily confused unlike Syaoran who just wouldn't believe them whatsoever.

Tetsuya and Izumi both knew it would come to this. And so, Izumi threw up a Clow Card into the air and struck it. _"Windy!"_ she yelled and a huge burst of wind shot from the card right at the center of the cloud.

Both Sakura's and Syaoran's eyes widened incredulously. "But I own that Card!" Sakura yelled, confusion in her distressed emerald eyes.

Upon striking the center of the cloud, a huge tiger-like creature made of electricity appeared. It's eyes hovered over the four children fighting it and roared. Tetsuya and Syaoran both jumped over to Sakura and at the same time, said, "Seal it now!"

Sakura nodded, not quite as sure of herself, but knowing if she didn't listen to the boys, she might have to pay the consequences later. _"Thunder, return to your power confined! Thunder Card!"_ Sakura yelled, striking her wand at the air in front of her. The tiger-like beast suddenly dissipated and its essence flew over to Sakura and appeared as a Clow Card in front of her. She caught the card, smiling.

Tomoyo ran over to Sakura and Syaoran, Kero flying right behind her. "I got the whole thing on tape, Sakura-chan!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Even those two," she added, pointing to the two other children present, her camera still on them.

All four of the main group looked over at Tetsuya and Izumi, both of whom were standing only a few feet away. Slowly, they started to faintly dim. This alerted Sakura. "What's happening to you guys?!" she asked frantically.

Izumi laughed and then answered, "We don't exist anymore, not these forms of ourselves anyway."

"So we'll never see you again?" Sakura asked with a slight frown.

Tetsuya shook his head. "No, you will see us, most likely. We just won't know who you are at all. So if we just blow you off, sorry for that."

Syaoran thought about it and then asked, "You won't know anything about the Clow Cards, right?"

"Or each other?" Sakura asked, adding to Syaoran's question.

"Or Kero, Tomoyo, Meiling, or anyone else we met while searching for the Cards," Izumi added. She felt as if she were about to faint and looked down at her legs which were now completely gone. Only her upper torso remained. And her mind felt so scattered...

Tomoyo smiled. "So I met you as a Card Mistress as well?" she asked sweetly.

Izumi nodded, feeling tears coming to her eyes. "You always loved taping Clow Card captures," she got out, holding back tears because she knew they wouldn't mean anything soon.

Nodding, Tomoyo lowered her camera slightly, still catching the two on tape but now holding it so Izumi could see her eyes sparkle. "There's one last thing..." Izumi said, looking at her hands as they faded away.

"It's something Izumi thought up," Tetsuya added in quickly, knowing they didn't have much time left for idle chatter.

Izumi nodded and took a deep breath. "For giving us your lives even if only for a short period of time and for allowing us a chance to get to know your friends and each other..." Izumi looked straight into each of their eyes, Sakura's, Syaoran's, Kero's, and Tomoyo's then finished, "Arigatou."

With that one last word, Tetsuya and Izumi disappeared. The future of the Clow Cards was now back in the hands of Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li...forever.

* * *

(A/n: All of you S+S fans loved it, no doubt. What did you other guys think? No, I didn't have any pure romance in this chapter. I didn't feel right trying to put that in when the two wouldn't be thinking of each other so much. I had a slight bit of it, but not too much. Don't ask for an epilogue. Because it might ruin the whole "open ending" I tried to make.) 


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